My school offers a number of AP classes, but because it’s an online school, I don’t really feel like I’m getting the classroom experience I need to be prepared for college. I’d go along with DE in a heartbeat, but I’m just worried because I’ve read countless times that DE doesn’t look as impressive as AP. I wouldn’t want this to hurt my chances of getting into a top school. I’m focusing particularly on AP Bio vs DE Bio. What are your thoughts?
If you’re enrolled in an online school, then I would definitely do dual enrollment to get the “in class” experience. In my opinion, dual enrollment can actually help your application if you take a few classes here and there because it gives you a taste of college.
You could take the AP Biology exam after taking dual-enrollment biology. Alternatively, you could use dual enrollment to take a class that isn’t available through AP.
Wow, I can’t believe I didn’t even think of simply taking the AP exam afterwards. That’ll work perfectly!
The best predictor of college success is… surprise… success in college. So, DE courses are well-regarded by admissions officers, because succeeding in them shows you have the independence and maturity to handle the pace and type of work found in college.
I don’t understand the point of taking the AP exam after taking the class. If you pass a dual enrollment class, you should already receive credit at the institution you apply to.
The reason for taking the AP exam is to prove that the dual-enrollment course was rigorous. It’s often easier to get credit from AP exams than from dual enrollment, since AP is more standardized. However, I would recommend the dual-enrollment class for the classroom experience, even without the AP exam.