Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board that offers undergraduate university-level curricula and examinations to high school students. AP courses are typically offered at the high school level and are designed to be the equivalent of a college-level course. AP exams are taken each May by students and are the culmination of year-long AP courses. AP exam scores are widely recognized in the admissions process around the world, but credits are only sometimes accepted outside of Canada and the United States.
To teach AP courses, teachers must complete the AP Course Audit, which is the required course authorization process that provides teachers and administrators with guidelines and requirements for offering AP courses. Any school offering AP classes must first have these courses reviewed and authorized by the College Board. Once approved, the courses are listed on the AP Course Ledger. Although there is no national AP certification for teachers, teachers who complete the AP Course Audit are authorized to teach AP courses.
The College Board provides resources for use in curriculum planning, including unit guides with resources for every topic and skill, personal progress checks, and a question bank so teachers can build their own tests using every AP question relevant to their course. Teachers can also access AP practice exams that they can securely assign to students as they prepare for the AP Exam.
