As the school year comes to an end, most students are preparing for finals. Many students in Advanced Placement classes, though, are preparing to take one or more of the AP exams offered by the school. While taking advanced classes can be challenging, it has its benefits.

AP classes can be easily compared to introductory college classes. Princeton Magazine says,“They [AP classes] are fast-paced, cover more material than regular classes, and require independent work like research and analysis.”

By having high school courses comparable to introductory college courses, it can help students with the transition from high school to college work.

When colleges look at the AP courses you took in high school, they see that you have the ability to take college courses and that you have what it takes to be in an undergraduate setting.  

“When admissions officers see “AP” on your transcript, they know that what you experienced in a particular class has prepared you well for the challenges of college,” says “Work Toward College Success” by the College Board.

AP courses not only help your transition into college, but also can help you get college credit. Standing out in a college application can give you a better chance of getting accepted into that college, and also make you stand out more for academic scholarships. “Most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit… for qualifying AP Exam scores,” says “Discover the Benefits of AP” by the College Board.

The AP test scores range from one to five, with five being the highest score; colleges will accept a minimum score for it to transfer to a college class. This means that if your college accepts your score, you can test out of a college class. College courses can cost thousands of dollars, not including books, but if you take and pass the AP test, you’re only spending $93, which saves money compared to the cost of college course credits.

While AP courses can seem very stressful, and include a lot of school and homework, taking AP courses offers a lot more to students than general courses can. They can test out of college courses, as well as better prepare them for their college workload.