Advanced Placement: For Students Eager to Be Challenged

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level courses offered in high school. The classes explore subjects in greater depth and at a faster pace than traditional high school classes.

AP courses usually count toward the student's high school graduation requirements.

Students who score well on exams given at the end of AP courses can move directly to upper-level college classes in those subjects and possibly receive college credit for the beginning-level courses they bypassed.

Students also can save money by taking AP courses in high school: a credit earned in high school for a college course is a credit you won't need to pay for later.

The College Board (the same organization that runs the SAT) offers AP classes in 19 subject areas.

All Indiana high schools offer AP courses in math and science to qualified students. Other AP subjects vary from school to school. Check with your child's school counselor to learn what courses are available at your school.

Indiana offers fee-waivers for AP exams in math and English. Other AP exams are available on a fee basis.