Weigh Your Options. The Pros and Cons of Taking AP Exams. AP advantages: AP courses are more widespread than IB courses. (My school did not offer honors or AP courses.) Advanced Placement courses offer students the opportunity to to take classes at the college level -- and possibly earn college credit if they perform well on the AP exam. If you are up for it, though, take as many AP’s as you can handle… without going certifiably insane. At the end of each school year, students have the option to take AP exams to assess their mastery of the subjects, and many do. The Pros and Cons of Testing. Take a drop only if you are motivated enough, and especially if you are sure that the current performance was not your best. ... College Credit: Most colleges award college credit for high scores on AP exams. "I do see pros and cons. ... AP exams only cost 98 dollars or are offered for free at some public schools. Uh, it'd be a waste of time. There are a couple of options for you, but they start with answering one bigger question: Yes, you should take AP … Benefits of Advanced Placement Program ... findings regarding the AP program. AP courses offer great benefits. The Good. There are advantages and disadvantages to taking AP courses in high school. There is also a fee involved, to cover the costs associated with administering and scoring the exams. IB exams are even more expensive at $119 per exam. This fee is listed online at $93 per exam. July 2008. Cons: Not every college or university accepts all AP tests and they may be specific about the actual scores they accept as well. Extracurricular Activities and Academic Grades . AP (short for Advanced Placement) is a US-based program run by the College Board (the same people that create and administer the SAT) for high school students. We've done a couple practice DBQ's and essays in class, but not like they would be on the exam. Exam Costs. I'm taking AP European History right now as a sophomore and we're just starting to really talk about the AP Exam in May. Furthermore, late fees can greatly increase these costs. Apart from the fact that some schools don’t offer AP courses, which could limit your options… the cons are about the same as Honors courses. Some schools require their students to take the AP test if enrolled in an Advanced Placement class, while others might discourage you from taking the exam without taking the course, so a student should understand a school's policy before enrolling. Weigh the pros and cons to see if online AP courses from eAchieve Academy are right for you. I would also advise against taking up a college and preparing for an entrance exam at … AP tests each cost $94 per exam for students inside the United States and $124 outside of the United States. Prospective college students make use of different SAT preparation methods, such as online tutors, private tutors, review books and online courses. Let’s weigh the pros and cons. If you do well on these AP exams, you will be able to earn college credit, freeing up your time in college to take other courses that pique your interest. If a tiny part of you feels that you could not have done any better, taking a drop is a sure no. The Pros and Cons . Considering the pros and cons of taking … Here are some pros and cons to AP classes and testing. An online AP class is meant to mimic the material and workload of an in-person AP course and prepare you for the AP exam. By Thomas Broderick As a high school teacher, I came across many students placed in above-grade-level courses. It’s less expensive to take an AP exam than an IB exam. The most common ways that high school students earn college credit is through taking AP Exams, IB courses, or some college-level courses at a nearby college. 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