<p>My daughter has the option to either take a college course both semesters next year at a university which is close to her high school or an AP Macro course through an online program associated with her school. She has found a communications course that fits her schedule at the college but thinks both would be equally interesting.</p>
<p>Since other factors are equal, does it look better for college admissions to take the AP course or college course?</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p>
<p>A college course is a real college course.</p>
<p>An AP course is a high school course that is designed to prepare a student to take an exam that is used to indicate whether or not the student has mastered the subject to the level of a first year college course in the subject area.</p>
<p>Usually the vote would go for the real college course.</p>
<p>However, if your daughter is more interested in learning Macro Economics than the material covered in the Communications course at the university, then that is what she should do.</p>
<p>This is too ‘micro’ level to worry over: College admissions staff will not sit around the table going, ‘Why did she take a college course when she could have done an on-line AP class?’ or vice versa. </p>
<p>Your daughter should do what she’s most interested in and what works best with her schedule. What colleges really want to see is a kid whose engaged and challenging herself. Both options suggest that she is.</p>