what is ap class

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are college-level courses offered to high school students in the United States and Canada. These courses are created by the College Board and cover a wide range of subjects including arts, English, history and social science, math and computer science, sciences, and world languages and cultures. Students who take AP courses have the opportunity to earn college credit and placement by obtaining qualifying scores on the AP exams, which are typically scored from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score. Many colleges and universities in the US and elsewhere grant credit and placement for qualifying AP scores, potentially allowing students to skip introductory courses and move directly to more advanced classes in college. Research has shown that students who take AP courses are better prepared for college and are more likely to enroll, stay in college, do well in their classes, and graduate in four years. AP exams are typically taken in May, and there is an exam fee, although reductions and subsidies are available to students with financial need. AP classes are designed to provide students with an opportunity to challenge themselves in a particular field of interest and demonstrate to colleges that they can handle the academic rigor of a college-level course.