Category: High School

What are the advantages of taking college courses while you are still in high school?

High School students have the option of taking more advanced classes while they are still attending high school. These can be taken during the regular school year or taken at summer school, where students can earn college credits and free up time during their school year to take more electives.

Advanced Placement(AP) Classes are available in all core-curricular subjects and are offered on site as part of the regular high school day. Students are required to pay a fee for the standardized AP Test at the end of the course but if you do well you will receive a college credit for your hard work.

AP classes are assigned a course value that is 1 point higher than a regular high school class so they can go a long way to increasing your high school grade point average. Taking these advanced courses offers you the opportunity to experience more challenging college classes that require a higher level of thinking and problem solving skills. This introduction to college level learning gives you a competitive edge in the college admissions process.

The number one advantage of taking college level courses during high school is the reduced cost of a college education. Taking college classes while still in high school can decrease the cost of college because you will need to pay for fewer classes to graduate. Many colleges and universities use these advanced classes to determine who qualifies for a scholarship which you can apply towards tuition costs, books or living expenses. Finally, as these courses are held at your high school you do not have to pay out of pocket expenses to travel to the college campus to attend classes.

It is, therefore, a huge benefit for you to take AP classes in high school. It will put you on the right path to achieving all your education goals.