How To Earn AP Credits?

With the right amount of preparation, students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses can transform their high school knowledge into college credit by taking and passing an Advanced Placement test. In order for students to gain these college benefits, they must earn a score of 3 or higher on their AP exam.

Mary Harmon, the previous guidance counselor at Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) in Montgomery, Alabama, offered the following tips to help students excel on these standardized exams and find out how to earn AP credits.  

• Begin on day one: “Preparation for an Advanced Placement exam begins the first day of class,” Harmon said. “Students need to take every day seriously and look over all old notes. You cannot wait until the last minute on an AP test.” 
• Be persistent: “Students must understand the larger concepts, and yet they need to be able to effortlessly work with the mechanics of writing and computations and memorized facts.  If weekend or after school study sessions are available, students must take advantage of each and every one of these sessions.” 
• Branch out for help: “One of the tools with the greatest value is to take a mock exam that is scored according to an existing AP rubric.” Practice tests are usually offered in the classroom, but may also be obtained through the Princeton Review or CollegeBoard.com. 
• Believe in yourself: “The night before an AP exam should be stress-free,” Harmon said. “The most essential element that a student can take with them on the day of a test is a positive attitude and confidence that they are prepared and that they own the knowledge.” 

Students who take the AP exam have the potential to aid in their own savings for college by gaining exemption through these exams. Some colleges may not accept credit from certain AP exams, and some may only accept a 4 or higher, so be sure to check with your desired college to see if they accept AP credits. 

“31 percent of colleges and universities consider a student’s AP experience when making decisions about which student will receive scholarships.” –CollegeBoard 

Savanna

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