I’ve heard all the reasons why high school students should take advanced placement classes. Students applying to business school should have a well-rounded education that spans high-level courses that will translate well into their future career aspirations. How well do AP courses actually prepare you for success in related subjects — and do students who complete these courses actually go on to study related fields? .d-block { This data shows that for certain subjects, AP completion is a good predictor of future coursework; for other subjects, AP completion does not (from a statistical standpoint) tell colleges much about your likely future interests and coursework. For example, students who scored a 5 on the exam earned grades that were 0.96 higher (on average) than the average non-AP grade of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale. .d-none { The push for AP classes is complicated by the fact that it’s big money. She lives in Brooklyn, New York and works as a freelance writer specializing in education. However, liberal arts and humanities APs have weaker predictive qualities—AP and non-AP students complete college coursework in these areas at fairly similar rates. Turning to the humanities and social sciences, the data shows similarly low predictive value for certain courses. Still, many pre-law advisors recommend completing coursework that’s relevant to law, so many pre-law students seek a solid foundation in topics that will strengthen their language, writing, and analytic thought, as well as their knowledge of law and history. Learn how to determine the right number of AP classes for YOU. So what does this data tell you about smart AP strategy? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. students who didn’t take the AP exam took related courses in college; this might be because many universities allow students to use their AP credits to skip mathematics prerequisites or general education requirements.   It might be more beneficial to take fewer AP courses in subjects that interest you, especially when you know you can get a high score, rather than taking more classes where you'll struggle significantly. In contrast, there is no meaningful positive correlation between high scores on the Macroeconomics AP test and performance in college-level economics classes. Students who scored a 3, 4, or 5 on English Literature and Composition or English Language and Composition showed an even larger increase in their intermediate-level college grades in related courses. However, not every high school student is the same. The upshot is that, when it comes to demonstrating your ability to excel in college-level coursework, you should choose APs that you’re excited about–but also prepared to do well in. As noted above, AP courses and exams do more than just prepare students for college-level coursework. To achieve both these goals, you should take APs that showcase both your strengths and your commitment to your academic interests and passions. In fact, students who earned a 4 on the AP actually performed 0.03 worse on average than the non-AP students’ average college course grade of 2.88. Want access to expert college guidance — for free? Students who major in business will need to take macroeconomics, microeconomics, and calculus at intermediate and advanced levels in college. Those who scored a 3, for example, did not perform significantly better than non-AP students, who earned an average grade of 2.87 in intermediate history courses. In contrast, there is no meaningful positive correlation between high scores on the. However, this trend does not hold for more foundational math and science exams, like AP Biology and AP Calculus AB and BC. Public and Social Services. In the humanities section, we described how English AP students achieve higher grades in intermediate college courses on average than their non-AP peers. In addition to the $94 test fee, schools pay for instructional materials. Students who earned a high score on the AP U.S. Government & Politics exam did, on average, perform statistically better in intermediate coursework than those who didn’t take the AP course. 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