PSST! Hey, you! Yeah, you! Could you imagine being able to shorten your time in college, or at the very least save some money? Did you know that you can take higher level classes in high school that could help you get into the college of your choice and also potentially earn you college credits? Here at Harrison High School, we offer many AP classes for higher achieving students, JUST LIKE YOU!
When thinking about college it’s always a good idea to be prepared. Here at Harrison, it is very easy to be proactive about your college career. Who doesn’t want to get a potential college credit whilst also knocking out high school credits? Besides the standard classes, Harrison offers 22 AP classes for your choosing, one of the higher number of AP offerings in the area.
AP classes at Harrison give you the opportunity to get a jump start at your college credits all in the comfort of your own high school! Instead of forking out hundreds of dollars for the class in college, you only have to pay the exam fee. Even better than that, if you decide that you don’t like that class, it’s not as much of a money waste as it would have been had you made that decision in college. AP classes also look good on college transcripts, showing admission committees that you are a serious student who is ready to make the jump to harder course work.
Senior Josie Murray says, “Students should take AP classes because it makes your first year of college go smoothly. They’re also nice to take since, despite higher expectations in the class, the homework load is often lower compared to a college prep class, especially in AP World and AP Lit.” The classes can also be easier than the same class offered in college, because of stronger teacher/student relationships and a slower pace. While the class is similar in context and coursework, there does seem to be a significant difference in the workload that you bring home, as opposed to college workload. Instead of being focused on assignments, the extra time you have can be used for studying. This can also improve your study skills.
When determining whether AP classes are for you, it’s important to know not only the pros, but also potential cons. Even though there are benefits of a credit for both high school and college, they come with a price. You get the high school credit upon completion of the class, if you have a passing grade, but at the end of the school year, you are required to take an AP class for any of them that you choose, and if you don’t pass the AP test, you don’t get any college credit. This is different than CCP classes, where you get the college credit upon successful completion of the class. In AP classes, if you do not pass the end of the year exam with an appropriate score for your college of choice, you do not receive a college credit, regardless of the grade you received in the actual class.
Make sure that as you sign up for classes you make the choice that’s right for you! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to save yourself some college debt, and take some unique opportunities in high school.
