Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

by Joshua D. Clark
Associate Director of Admissions,
The Orme School, Mayer, Arizona

Many schools listed in Boarding Schools in the U.S.A. proudly mention that they offer A.P. or Advanced Placement courses. Advanced Placement courses are an excellent tool to help students make a smooth transition from high school to university.

Compared to a traditional high school course, an A.P. course covers the same subject material in more depth and at a faster rate. So, an Advanced Placement chemistry class would be more intensive than a regular chemistry class and would attract students who enjoy being challenged. Students usually enroll in A.P. courses in the later years of secondary school (junior, senior, ages 16-18).

At the end of the course, usually in May, students are able to take a national standardized A.P. exam. If the student scores high enough on the exam, most universities in the United States give college credit for the course. That means a student who takes an Advanced Placement class in a subject such as history and receives a high score on the exam can skip the introductory (first level) history class at university. The student can enter a higher level university class, which may be more challenging and interesting.

Boarding schools and other secondary schools usually offer A.P. courses in one or several subject areas. In addition, students may take the exam without being enrolled in the A.P. class. If a student attends a school that doesn't offer A.P. classes, he or she can prepare for the test and take it elsewhere.

Several tests are available in the following subject areas (a few, but not all, examples are shown in the parentheses): art (art history, studio art), language (French, German, Latin), history (American, European, world), science (biology, physics, chemistry), English (language or literature), computer science, or mathematics (calculus, statistics).

For more information about A.P. courses, the benefits of enrolling in an A.P. course, or a complete listing of all available A.P. exams, please consult the following website:

http://www.collegeboard.com/ap/students

Students at The Orme School in Arizona may enroll in an A.P. course in English literature, U.S. history, and Calculus every year. Some Orme students decide to take a foreign language A.P. exam as well.

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