DE classes and AP classes are never free. If you go to private school you are paying tuition (and taxes) and public schools you are paying taxes. The difference is you are not cutting a check or whipping out a credit card. DE classes and AP classes aren’t always accepted anywhere. My daughter has a DE class for Medical Terms through the CC. Ironic story Northwestern accepts it U of I doesn’t. Though U of I and all state schools must accept AP’s for credit for scores 3 and over. Saying all that it is still a better deal than the costs of tuition.