Dual Enrollment + AP Exam?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Might be a bit early to think ahead, as I’m currently just a freshman, but I want to plan out my high school career.

So, I go to a “middle college” charter high school. No AP or IB here, but there is a community college next door where you can take dual enrollment classes free. Since I have heard warnings about DE classes not transferring out-of-state (and I want to go out-of-state preferably) I want to have both the course and the AP score as a backup, since I can most likely just take it at a local public school.

I feel like there could end up being scheduling conflicts between the AP exam dates and the college final exam dates, so I might not get the opportunity to take both, but barring that, I want to do that. I feel like I might end up majorly regretting it when I have to cram for the college exam and I end up getting like a 1-2 on the AP exam. Of course, that’s if they are a lot different, which they might not be.

Also, will it look better on possible college applications to have both DE and an AP score? Or is this all completely unnecessary?

DE classes are open sophomore year and above.

If you’re looking at aptitude to juggle all this, my PSAT score was 196/1280 in 8th grade and I made a 26 on the ACT in 7th.

Here’s the ones I was considering/thinking of taking - with what the corresponding semester college courses are labeled as (I doubt I’ll take all of these even if I go on):

AP Human Geo (complete self-study w/o college course, it looks fairly easy) - freshman year

AP World History (w/corresponding college courses) - sophomore year
HIS104: World History I - prehistory to 1500
HIS105: World History II - 1500 to present

AP US History (w/corresponding college courses) - one I’m most unsure about - junior year
HIS201: American History: Discovery to 1877
HIS202: American History: 1877 to Present

AP Calculus BC (w/corresponding college courses) - junior year
MAT140: Analytical Geometry & Calculus I
MAT141: Analytical Geometry & Calculus II

AP Chemistry (w/corresponding college courses) - senior year
CHM110: College Chemistry 1
CHM111: College Chemistry 2

AP Psychology (w/corresponding college course) - sophomore or junior year
PSY201: General Psychology

AP Government and AP Macro (w/corresponding college courses) - senior year
PSC201: American Government
ECO210: Macroeconomics

AP English Language (w/corresponding college courses) - senior year
ENG101: English Composition I
ENG102: English Composition II

2

I’m in the exact same situation, but I’m a sophomore! :0
From what my guidance counselor has told me (and what I’ve seen here), whether the credit is accepted unconditionally really depends on the institution.
For example, MIT gives credit for high AP scores (on intro classes) and for the rest of ‘em uses a special test called the advanced standing exam. From what I’ve seen looking at other colleges’ requirements, this is mostly consistent across the board (when dual enrollment credit isn’t given).

For international schools AP tests are more important. Looking at schools in Europe + the UK, they’re judged roughly equivalent to A-levels or other standard examinations (especially as demonstration of interest)!

3

^Basically this. It is hard to give good advice without knowing what colleges you are interested in. In typical state universities, most credits can transfer from accredited community colleges with no problems (from what I have seen). At more selective ones, things are more complicated. In some cases, neither the AP score not the DE credit will be accepted, and having both just to look good on a transcript would probably be a waste of time and money.

On a side note, why do you prefer out-of-state? I would actually urge you to strongly consider staying in-state. I am a senior in a somewhat similar situation, and every professor/doctor I have talked to (planning on med school) has said that even if I was accepted to Harvard, it might just be a better idea to attend the local university due to costs/credit transfers/good and easily accessible opportunities in the area. What is driving you away? PLEASE don’t go to a university based on prestige. Go based on the opportunities it will provide you.

4

Assuming your family less than a few hundred thousand each year, @Dax123 , Harvard in particular would handle neatly the cost of attendance.
Right from their financial aid page:

‘Families with incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 will contribute from 0-10% of their income, and those with incomes above $150,000 will be asked to pay proportionately more than 10%, based on their individual circumstances.’

For out-of-state state schools (and stingier LACs), though, I totally agree!

5

Looking for more advice on this. I’m the parent of a high school junior who is in a dual enrollment program through which she does all of her coursework as a college student at George Washington University. She is wondering whether she needs to take an AP exam that corresponds to the survey courses she is taking (i.e., US History). She isn’t interested in transfer credit, just placing into higher level courses once she gets to another college after graduation. It’s hard for me to see the point of taking the AP exam, but any advice or experience would be useful.

6

@DC Mom 99 Colleges generally all have their own policies on what they will accept for credit/placement. Some accept no DE, some accept all if it for credit, some accept it only for placement, and others will be anywhere in between. The same thing for AP tests. The best course of action would be to look on the college websites to see what they will accept, or if the information isn’t easily found, call the colleges she is interested in and ask what their policy is.