Reasons for AP

[ZeroX]

I have been thinking of taking some AP classes next year and I know some of you guys are taking some as of this year and I was wondering what is the point. I want to get into a traditional 4 year but alll they require is that you take CP and alot of outside activities which I currently do like ASB and Clubs.

So the question is really what is the point? I dont plan on getting into Harvard or Yale and what is the point of having 2 hours of extra homework a night if I dont plan on Benefiting from it later in life? I believe my GPA is around 2.89 somewhere around that. What do you guys think?

My current Grades are listed:

CP English 11 B-
Tech Design 1 B
CP ASL 1 B-
ADV Dance B+
CP Geometry C+
CP World History B+

[Sidoh]

I've heard a minimum of 3.4 GPA is best to keep your options open (though you've already closed some by that point).

AP classes are wonderful if you're up for the challenge, but it is extra work.

[ZeroX]

I've heard a minimum of 3.4 GPA is best to keep your options open (though you've already closed some by that point).

AP classes are wonderful if you're up for the challenge, but it is extra work.

Well thats just Last semester. I wish I had your brain when It came to math but I see the Formula in my head but write differnt crap down on my test. I usally get around 3.2 or 3.3 so I dont think one semester will effect my chances to getting into a Calstate system that much. I might go UC dont know yet.

[AntiVirus]

I think it's the same for all schools, but AP classes have the potential of transfering over as college credit, if you do well on the AP Test.  I took a few of them while I was in Highschool and they were challenging, for the most part.  I encourage you take atleast one and see if you like it or not.

[Ender]

Senior year AP classes are a joke...

[trust]

The benefit is that they make the transition to college easier as you're more used to the course load. Though, that's also the negative...it's more work. AP classes look good and if you have a tough schedule colleges can overlook your GPA (I know a kid that got into UVA with a 3.2...which is pretty low for UVA.) I got into Hampden-Sydney with a 2.6 (but then again I worked my ass off first semester and went above and beyond during the admissions process and made friends with the admissions office and some key alumni.)

Also depending on what you intend on taking in college, you can test out of some classes if you do well on the AP tests. On the other hand, some college professor will make you take the class anyway so that you're not ahead of the other students. (Like when I was at Averett and talked to the Political Science head he said even if I tested out of both American Government and Comparative Government (first year of political science essentially) he'd make me retake them so that I'm on the same page. It's all very college specific.

[Towelie]

I take AP to challenge myself. CP classes would be a joke to me. I don't really care much about the college credit, that isn't what I am in it for.

[Sidoh]

I take AP to challenge myself. CP classes would be a joke to me. I don't really care much about the college credit, that isn't what I am in it for.

What's CP?  Coming from a small school, I'm not used to all of this lingo.

Having transfered college credits have been highly useful.  For example, I don't have to take English composition again, which is a part of just about every university's core curriculum and is a course that is generally despised.

[Towelie]

I take AP to challenge myself. CP classes would be a joke to me. I don't really care much about the college credit, that isn't what I am in it for.

What's CP?  Coming from a small school, I'm not used to all of this lingo.

Having transfered college credits have been highly useful.  For example, I don't have to take English composition again, which is a part of just about every university's core curriculum and is a course that is generally despised.

College Prep. Yes they would be useful, that is true, especially in classes I hate

[d&q]

Senior year AP classes are a joke...

Your school obviously isn't up to AP standards if you consider AP courses in any year a joke..

[Sidoh]

College Prep. Yes they would be useful, that is true, especially in classes I hate

Ah.  The title seems to suggest that they aren't college courses (or at a college level), but is that because it's misleading?  I'm not sure if the classes you're speaking of are considered "dual enrollment" classes, but those were the only form of "higher level" courses at my high school (they're allowing kids to take the AP exams for Calculus and Physics this year, though).

[Towelie]

College Prep. Yes they would be useful, that is true, especially in classes I hate

Ah.  The title seems to suggest that they aren't college courses (or at a college level), but is that because it's misleading?  I'm not sure if the classes you're speaking of are considered "dual enrollment" classes, but those were the only form of "higher level" courses at my high school (they're allowing kids to take the AP exams for Calculus and Physics this year, though).

They are the classes for the idiots but they labeled it College Prep so they wouldn't feel so stupid.

[deadly7]

Ah.  The title seems to suggest that they aren't college courses (or at a college level), but is that because it's misleading?  I'm not sure if the classes you're speaking of are considered "dual enrollment" classes, but those were the only form of "higher level" courses at my high school (they're allowing kids to take the AP exams for Calculus and Physics this year, though).

It is not the same as dual enrollment.

[ZeroX]

College Prep. Yes they would be useful, that is true, especially in classes I hate

Ah.  The title seems to suggest that they aren't college courses (or at a college level), but is that because it's misleading?  I'm not sure if the classes you're speaking of are considered "dual enrollment" classes, but those were the only form of "higher level" courses at my high school (they're allowing kids to take the AP exams for Calculus and Physics this year, though).

They are the classes for the idiots but they labeled it College Prep so they wouldn't feel so stupid.

Me R none Idiot. yOu R Idiots.

[d&q]

At my school, the amount of homework varies greatly for each course. However, most of them are very hard, regardless of homework. If you take courses such as AP Calculus(little homework but hard), or AP Chem(lot of homework, hard) be prepared to really study. But like I said, this is only at my school, and since they are IB AP classes, they might be a tad harder, but I doubt it.

[Ender]

Senior year AP classes are a joke...

Your school obviously isn't up to AP standards if you consider AP courses in any year a joke..

My school is up to AP standards. In most of my experiences, senior-year teachers usually succumb to senioritis.

[iago]

Well, to answer the question implied by the title: the reason I took AP courses was to get away from immature people who didn't care about their classes or about getting into university or whatever. Generally, only the keen/smart people took AP, so I got to be with people who thought the same way I did.

I didn't find AP courses all that difficult, only slightly harder than the pre-AP courses I'd taken in previous years. The step from highschool to university was still a big one, even with AP, but at least AP offered some padding.

And on the topic of transferring credits: I scored 4, 4, 4, 3, and 3 in my 5 AP classes (Physics, Calc, Chem, English, English in that order), but I chose not to transfer any of the courses for university credit, rather, I took the courses again, which again gave me some cushioning coming out of highschool. I was able to take a couple courses that I had taken in a highschool context, and although they were much harder in university, I was well prepared.

So that's my take.