AP Exams and their uses

AP Exams and their uses
22 November

AP Exams and their uses

By EDUPASS

WHAT IS AP?

 

AP stands for Advanced Placement and is organized by the College Board. With this program, students have the chance to take university-level courses and take the exams of the courses they take while they are still studying in high school. However, this program is recognized by many universities around the world. These universities accept the courses that students take with AP during high school when they come to the university and count the grades they receive instead of their own credits, which provides the student with the opportunity to take courses at more advanced levels. 

 

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF AP?

 

Since students take university-level courses during high school, this facilitates admission to many schools abroad and allows the student to get a head start to their university education because the student who receives AP shows that one has set high goals for oneself to the universities one applies to, that one can work towards this goal and that one can overcome difficult tasks. However, AP provides students with the chance to explore and develop many important skills, such as critical thinking, argument building, and multifaceted thinking.

Courses consist of 7 majors and 38 courses. These: 


AP Capstone Diploma Program 

  • AP Seminar 
  • AP Research 

 

Arts (Sanat)

  • AP Art and Design 
  • AP 2-D Art and Design 
  • AP 3-D Art and Design 
  • AP Drawing 
  • AP Art History 
  • AP Music Theory 

 

English

  • AP English Language and Composition 
  • AP English Literature and Composition 

 

History and Social Sciences 

  • AP European History 
  • AP United States History 
  • AP World History: Modern 
  • AP Comparative Government and Politics 
  • AP U.S. Government and Government 
  • AP Human Geography 
  • AP Macroeconomics 
  • AP Microeconomics 
  • AP Psychology 

 

Math and Computer Science 

  • AP Calculus AB 
  • AP Calculus BC 
  • AP Statistics 
  • AP Computer Science Principles 
  • AP Computer Science A 

 

Sciences  

  • AP Biology 
  • AP Environmental Science 
  • AP Chemistry 
  • AP Physics 1 
  • AP Physics 2 
  • AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism 
  • AP Physics C: Mechanics 

 

World Languages and Cultures 

  • AP Chinese Languge and Culture 
  • AP French Language and Culture 
  • AP German Language and Culture 
  • AP Italian Language and Language 
  • AP Spanish Language and Culture  
  • AP Spanish Literature and Culture 
  • AP Chinese Language and Language 
  • AP Latin

 

Some courses are interconnected. For example, the AP Seminar course and the Research course, which are included in the core course of the AP Capstone diploma program, are interconnected. The student who wants to take the Ap Research course must have taken the AP seminar course beforehand. Apart from the AP Capstone program, there is no other program that has prerequisites. 

The letters next to the courses indicate the level of the lessons. If we count A as a beginner, then C is advanced. 

Calculus BC, for example, covers the topics covered by Calculus AB and even more advanced. For this reason, the student cannot take the Calculus AB and Calculus BC exam in the same year. The Calculus AB course is equivalent to the Calculus course given in the first semester at universities. However, since the Calculus BC course also covers the AB, it is equivalent to the first and second semester Calculus courses given at universities.

A student who takes an AP Computer Science A is introduced to computer science with the Java Script, and a student who takes an AP Computer Science A takes a course equivalent to the computer science offered in the first semester at universities.

AP Art and Design consists of 3 different courses. AP 2-D Art and Design, AP Drawing and AP 3-D Art and Design. Students who take these courses do not take the final exam, but instead receive their grades according to the portfolio they will present at the end of the year. For this field, the student can take the end-of-year evaluation of 3 courses in the same year if he/she wishes. 

AP There are 4 courses in physics. Physics 1/2/C/4. Physics C is based on calculus and other Physics 1/2/4 courses are based on 4 operations (algebra). In addition to these, the Electricity and Magnetism subjects of Physics 2 and Physics C are similar, and the courses of Physics 1 and Physics C are similar. Physics C is one of the most difficult courses in the AP program because it is based on advanced mathematics (calculus).

 

What is AP International Diploma (APID)?

 

The AP International Diploma (APID) is an internationally recognized diploma awarded to students with high achievements in different fields. This diploma is awarded to demonstrate outstanding achievement of students and is not a substitute for a high school diploma. APID is given automatically by the system depending on student achievement; No application is required. 

To qualify for the APID;

  • Students must score 3 and above on 5 or more AP exams. 
  • Students are required to take 2 AP courses of world languages or English
  • Students are required to complete an exam that will give them a global worldview (such as Art History, Environmental Science, World History)
  • The student is required to take an AP exam in science, math, or computing (such as Calculus AB, Biology, Computer Science A)
  • The student must take an AP exam that is not in English or language (such as Comparative Government Politics, Macroeconomics)

 

How to Take the AP Exams?

 

Registration for AP exams is made every year in the fall semester, usually in November, and the exams are administered for 2 weeks in the following May. In addition, some schools may open late applications by charging an extra fee during the winter months if there are vacancies. AP exams are administered only at schools authorized by the College Board. Even if AP exams are not held in their own schools, students can take these exams in other schools.

In choosing an exam, students should check the exam calendar published every year. It is especially important for students who will participate in the exams from outside the city or students who will take different exams in different schools to be careful about the exam schedule in order to prevent their exams from coinciding. 

Students can contact the AP Coordinators of the institutions that hold the AP exam and get information about the quota and fees. Although the College Board offers a standard fee for exams, test centres may charge extra fees for administration, so test fees may vary for each school. 

Each exam is evaluated on a scale of 1-5 points.

If the student takes 3 exams and gets a minimum of 3 from each of them, the student earns the title of AP Scholar.

 

Most Popular AP Courses and Exams

 

According to the College Board's website, in 2023;

9th and 10th The most popular AP classes for classes are;

  • AP Human Geography
  • AP World History: Modern
  • AP Seminar
  • AP Computer Science Principles
  • AP World Language and Culture Courses

 

For 11th grades;

  • AP English Language and Composition
  • AP United States History
  • AP Psychology
  • AP Biology
  • AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based
  • AP Seminar
  • AP Research
  • AP Computer Science Principles
  • AP Art and Design Courses

 

For the 12th grade;

  • AP English Literature and Composition
  • AP United States Government and Politics
  • AP Calculus AB 
  • AP Statistics
  • AP Psychology
  • AP Research
  • AP Computer Science Principles
  • AP Computer Science A
  • AP Art and Design Courses