I have a freshman in high school with an eye for Texas A&M. She was originally planning on taking AP classes but thinking of switching them to Dual Credit classes. Does it matter for A&M admission if one takes AP vs DC classes in High School? We are in Texas.
AP is always better. You can control to claim credit or not. AP is tougher in general.
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@HS_Parent AP for sure. AP shows consistent rigor (not all community colleges are equal…that’s an understatement), and like @FriscoDad said, AP are applied as needed/wanted. These kids entering with tons of dual credit are having a terrible time switching majors at A&M -because they have too many hours, due to DC applying automatically.
AP!
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We’ve actually really liked the DC experience. My daughter’s school has very limited APs available so that was the first issue for us, but the other is just all the different subjects that DC has allowed her to explore beyond the usual high school curriculum (such as philosophy, sociology, anthropology, etc.). The classes were challenging, but not overwhelming and, most importantly, really interesting for her. So I think there is a case for DC.
However, another thing to consider with DC is that, as college classes, the grades will follow you and, for example, you will need to report them if and when you apply to grad school, etc. They are part of your college transcripts. So if you think you might bomb in any of the classes, it might not be a good idea to have that on your record.
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Since class rank is highly important for Texas public university admissions, you may want to check how choosing between them for the same course material (e.g. calculus) affects class rank.
Obviously, there may be some classes available as only one or the other. Where a course is available in both, there can be varying considerations for choosing between them.
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Yes, good point. I am not sure how they affect class rank. I will try to find out.
@worriedmomucb you are correct-applying to law school, nursing, medical, vet, etc will all require ALL college transcripts.
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I am in the camp that dual enrollment is much better than AP classes for classes that are not in your major. Most schools have to transfer Community college classes but are stingy with AP classes. My kid saved a whole year and a half off of college tuition by taking community college classes during summer and their senior years. AP’s helped only a little. Make sure they take it seriously because the grades never go away, but the money saved will compound nicely.
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@flowerboy it definitely varies by institution. For Texas A&M, AP is the way to go, for sure.
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