<p>I think many of the regular classes at the top schools are AP level without being designated as AP. College Board does an audit of the curriculum and gives the schools the right to use the “AP” designation. If you look on some schools websites you will see two lists: AP courses and AP preparation.</p>
<p>You don’t have to have taken an “AP” course to take the AP test. For instance, in the Groton catalog there are no designated AP courses English, Art History, or History; but at the end of the description of some courses it states that students are encouraged to take the AP exam for whatever the course was. In other words, the AP level is what is expected of all students…and the students do very well on the AP exams.</p>
<p>“Advanced Placement” is a registered trademark of the College Board and EST. Schools have to conform their class syllabi to be allowed to use it.</p>