Can you stand another AP question

Applying to College
1

<p>(I'm new, so if this is in the wrong place, please feel free to move it.)</p>

<p>Anyway, I'm wondering about AP and admissions. You see, the state in which I live (Iowa) forbids a school from offering both a PSEO (post-secondary educational opporunity - essentially dual credit) and an AP for the same subject. The high school my children attend offers few APs, most in areas that my kids aren't interested in pursuing, but does offer many PSEOs. D1 will graduate from hs next May with 29 hours of college credit (Physics, Human Bio, Calc, Comp I & II, Western Civ, Art Appreciation). I imagine that in 4 years D2 will do the same. D2 will probably have an AP or two, just because she has more space in her schedule (not doing band and chior).</p>

<p>While I realize top tier schools often do not accept transfer credits at all, and would never take dual credit, would these courses be considered comparable to AP? Some of the credit (Physics, Bio) comse from 4 year LACs. The rest comes from the local CC.</p>

<p>And how would a school know? I work at one of the local LACs and see the hs transcript of every incoming freshman. PSEOs generally aren't indicated on a high school transcript. There is simply an accompanying college transcript, which is not available until the courses are complete. How does someone taking PSEOs as a senior (no college transcript yet), let a school know that the courses are college courses?</p>

2

<p>Well, I’ll answer what I can. In your counselor’s recommendation letter, you may want him or her to explain the situation with the PSEOs and APs and explain that there aren’t very many APs so your daughter took the PSEOs. I think if it is explained well it shouldn’t hurt your daughter in the admissions process, especially since colleges look to see if applicants took advantage of the most rigorous courses available to them and I think the PSEOs would show that. You may also want to mention it in the additional information part at the very end of the Common App. Also, on the common app you have to list your senior classes so if you list the college courses then I think colleges will see and consider that.</p>