<p>Hi CC,
I have already completed my college admissions process so my friend (current junior) has been asking me questions about my experience and admissions in general. I cannot answer this question:
How do colleges view AP classes that were taken online on websites like CTY, FLVS, ETC. Do they actually count them as classes? Will she get any credit for them?
Thanks!</p>
<p>They will not count them as classes, but they will count them as a demonstration that the student is self-motivated and willing to challenge himself. If your friend takes the AP exam and gets a good grade, some schools give credit and/or allow freshman to opt out of course requirements or use it for placement - it varies from school to school and from department to department.</p>
<p>Bump
Thank you so much for your answer!</p>
<p>Any other opinions/tales of experience. </p>
<p>I probably should have added that she has not really taken any AP’s in school because she became very sick at the end of her sophomore year so the school is trying to avoid stressing her out by restricting any AP classes for her. She wants to go to a good school (LAC’S like Amherst, Williams, etc.) but she essentially has not been able to take any in school AP classes, do you guys think the schools will understand her situation?</p>
<p>It depends on what you mean by “very sick.” If she has some long-lasting condition which is inhibiting her in school and requires that she avoid all stress, yes, they will understand to some degree. If it is not this serious, then no, they will probably not understand her situation. </p>
<p>Either way, she will lose points in admission for not having a rigorous courseload, but the online AP classes will help a bit. Going to a “good school” like the ones you listed will involve a stressful and rigorous college courseload- ability to handle this should be reflected by highschool, not doubted by it. </p>
<p>And as mentioned, you only can earn college credit by taking the AP exams. </p>
<p>Online AP classes are valued more highly when APs are NOT offered in school or the student is not eligible for some reason (scheduling conflict or something)- it shows the student is motivated to learn outside of the classroom. If APs are offered by the school, and the student instead chooses to take the AP online while taking an easy courseload at school, it does not fare quite as well.</p>
<p>Thank you pancaked for such a thorough response 
Here’s the thing- for the initial period after she got sick, she could not be in school and avoided all stressful situations/ atmospheres. However, now (almost a year later) she is willing to work hard and dedicate herself to this course load. She wants to take these inschool classes but the staff feel that it is too much for her. She and her mother have been trying to convince everyone that she can handle it but to no avail. I feel so bad :(</p>
<p>Her application should have included letter from the high school counselor (most schools require this). If the counselor explained that school staff did not allow/recommend her to take rigorous courses due to the condition, admissions will DEFINITELY understand. If this was not explained clearly, they don’t really have any way of knowing that sickness at the end of sophomore year was the reason her junior and senior year schedules were not rigorous.</p>
<p>Hopefully the details of her sickness were clearly explained throughout the application, including her recovery and willingness to take more rigorous courses (again the outside APs help here). That would be very helpful for her case.</p>
<p>Bump
Thank you so much Pancaked! I’ll show her this thread next time I see her. You have been so helpful and I know she’ll appreciate your insight so much :)</p>
<p>Oh I misread and thought she had applied already so I was writing in past tense. Well, hopefully it made sense anyway.</p>
<p>bump!
Any other people with insight or advice for her situation?</p>
<p>Bump Again
Okay new question:
She found some sites she likes (EPGY, CTY, APEX <— are these reputable?)
And she is debating between taking an online Summer AP or a college level course during the school year at a community college? Which will look better on applications?</p>
<p>I took AP Bio on Apex and got a 5, so I think it’s a pretty legit course.</p>