As spring nears, the coming of AP tests is approaching quickly. Students at Liberty North will now have the opportunity to take AP exams and earn college credit. However, many students are still debating whether it’s worth it or not.

“Each AP class has a corresponding AP exam that tests over the curriculum learned throughout the year. Based on how well you do, you will be given a score of one to five that determines how much college credit you can earn,” senior Grace Kappler said.

Each AP test costs $100 until February 22nd. After then, there will be an additional $25 late fee until registration closes on March 2nd.

“I debated taking AP tests because I wasn’t sure if I would do well on them. It seemed like if I didn’t do well, it would just be a waste of money,” Kappler said.

While $100 can seem like a lot of money, taking the cost of college tuition into consideration, it can actually save money. The average cost of a single credit hour is almost $600- six times the cost of the AP test.

“By taking an AP course and scoring successfully on the related AP Exam, you can save on college expenses: most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit, advanced placement, or both, for qualifying AP Exam scores. These credits can allow students to save college tuition, study abroad, or secure a second major. AP can transform what once seemed unattainable into something within reach,” the College Board stated on their website.

On the one-to-five scale, most colleges in the United States offer college credit for a score of three or higher (with three being considered “qualified”). The amount of credit hours colleges award for scores differs from school to school, but can be found here.

“I’m taking AP classes and tests to try and get ahead in college. Hopefully if I do well enough, I’ll be able to get some of my required credits out of the way and be able to take classes over subjects related to my major,” junior Madeleine Sevier said.

AP Registration can be completed online at www.TotalRegistration.net/AP/261967. For any questions or to request financial aid, students can contact Dr. Camp at [email protected].

Important AP dates coming up:

• Fri, Feb 23, 2018 at 12:01 AM – Registrations and payments after this date will incur a $25 late fee per registration
• Fri, Mar 2, 2018 at 11:59 PM – Registration Ends
• Mon, Mar 5, 2018 at 11:59 PM – Registrations that have not been paid for will be cancelled and exams will not be ordered