This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.
Established nearly 70 years ago, Advanced Placement (AP) courses have allowed students across the country to earn college credit even before receiving their high school diplomas. Guided by the College Board, a non-profit organization, AP courses maintain rigorous standards while providing young students with the incredible opportunity to engage in challenging and mature coursework.
However, many parents feel that the AP pathway is simply a "hoop" through which students must jump in order to get into a good college. While students with AP courses on their transcripts tend to experience greater college acceptance rates, experts argue that there are an array of benefits that extend beyond the perks of college admissions.
This video offers an overview of AP courses.
The Advanced Placement Advantages
According to 2026 reports from the College Board, over 1.3 million students in the public high school class of 2025 engaged in more than 4.8 million AP tests. While many high school students simply take AP classes to improve their college application candidacy, there are far greater benefits to these rigorous courses.
College Credit
Colleges today are certainly seeking students with AP experience, as the AP coursework allows college admissions officers to gain greater insight into an applicant's collegiate potential. However, one of the greatest perks of AP coursework is the amount of money that can be cut from a student's tuition bill!
According to the College Board, many colleges and universities in the United States will grant students college credit or advanced placement for AP coursework and qualifying test scores, although policies vary by institution. With this college credit, students will be able to save, in many cases, thousands of dollars on waived course costs. For example, if a student passes the AP English Literature exam, then he or she may be excused from taking the introductory college literature class required by the institution, depending on that institution's AP credit policy. With the ability to skip over basic courses, students are opened to a plethora of benefits, some of which include:
- Saved tuition costs, as each AP test costs $99 in 2026, while each college class can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. The College Board also provides a $37 fee reduction per exam for eligible students with financial need.
- With skipped courses, students have more time to pursue a double major, participate in study abroad opportunities, or internships
- Enjoy a more flexible college experience, as students' schedules will be free from the basic, mandatory curriculum prerequisites
- Students with enough AP credit can often graduate in a shorter period of time than students without AP credit
Training for the College Track
Students who enroll in AP courses also experience a "safe" introduction to the rigors of college before they leave their high school classrooms. High school students are not risking thousands of dollars on a college experience without adequate preparation. The AP courses are essentially conducted exactly as college classrooms should be presented; therefore, with the AP experience, students will have a greater idea of what to expect when they do finally enter into their first college courses. Adding to this, the College Board asserts that students in AP courses benefit from advantages such as:
- Greater maturity and readiness for college challenges
- Enhanced writing and problem-solving skills and techniques
- Ability to develop habits that are essential for college success
- Become a greater communicator and speaker, as AP courses allow students to engage in intense discussions, problem-solving collaboration efforts, and persuasive writing tasks
Details of the AP Exams
While students who enroll in AP courses are typically far more prepared to take challenging AP tests, students are not required to take the courses themselves. In other words, students may arrange to take an AP test in a subject area even if their school does not offer the corresponding AP course, although they must arrange testing through a school that administers the exam. Currently, there are extensive lists of potential AP courses and tests. Some of the popular and unique AP subjects include:
- Calculus AB
- Calculus BC
- English Language and Composition
- English Literature and Composition
- European History
- Art and Design
- Music Theory
- Physics C: Mechanics
- Human Geography
- Spanish
Students can choose to take the course and the exam, or simply take the exam itself. Generally, students are required to pay for the AP tests out of pocket; however, in some lower-income areas, students are provided with publicly funded AP testing opportunities. For 2026, the base AP Exam fee is $99 at schools in the United States, U.S. territories and Canada, with fee reductions available to eligible students with financial need.
Public School Review's The Debate Over Mandatory AP Exams: Balancing Academic Rigor and Student Well-being provides additional context on the benefits and concerns associated with requiring students enrolled in AP courses to take the corresponding exams.
This video offers help with AP exam taking.
The AP test itself, generally, takes around two to three hours to complete. Most AP tests are comprised of free-response questions alongside multiple-choice questions, although the exact format varies by subject. Each subject area test is offered during the annual AP testing period, although eligible students may be able to take a late test after the main test under College Board rules. Students who want to retake an AP exam generally must wait until the following year's exam administration.
