Your baby is officially exiting childhood and entering the adult world of high school. Despite how much they’re growing up though, they’ll always value your advice when it comes to taking electives and classes.
That’s why you should try to encourage them to take AP classes in high school. AP classes look amazing on their college resumes, they can be a fun challenge, taking them can get them some college credits, and they set them up for a bright future.
Keep reading to find out more about why you should be talking to your child about taking AP courses when they enter their freshman year.
1. College Preparation
When your child graduates high school and enters college they’ll be taking seminars, writing papers, and doing other challenging work. Taking AP classes will make this transition go a lot smoother.
AP classes allow your child to work on their critical thinking and writing skills. AP classes at this school are no joke. They’ll have to work on their study and time management skills in order to make it through.
Once they leave high school they’ll bring these skills toward their college course work and be better prepared than their peers who didn’t take AP classes.
2. College Admission
If your child takes AP courses it will put their college applications on the top of any college admissions pile. AP classes aren’t a cakewalk. They take a great deal of commitment, study, time, and energy in order to be successful in them.
Much like college course work. If AP credits show up on someone’s transcripts it shows the admissions team that this is a person who is ready for the pressures of college.
College admissions also weigh grades from AP classes differently than those from traditional ones. For example, straight As in traditional classes results in a 4.0 GPA. Straight As in AP classes will give them a 5.0 GPA.
Even though straight As are ideal, there is a little bit of wiggle room in there. They can still get a 4.0 and get into a good school even if they didn’t do so hot in one of their classes.
3. College Requirements and Prerequisites
Most AP classes have the same weight in difficulty as an introductory college course. This being said, if your child does well on an AP test it will count as college credit. Let’s put this in perspective with an example.
Your child did really well in their AP English class and made a 5 on their AP literature and composition test. Chances are, when they go to college they’ll get the option to skip the boring English 101 class because that credit they got from the AP class filled the prerequisite.
The more AP classes they take the more college credits they earn. They could skip over all the introductory courses and get straight into the ones that matter for their major.
4. They’ll Graduate From College Sooner
Most students who take AP classes in high school and earn college credits graduate college faster than those who don’t. They’ve developed the study habits and know what’s coming so it’s likely that they won’t fail any of their classes.
Dual-enrollment is also an option. This will allow your child to earn college credits for taking AP classes no matter how they perform on the exam.
By earning these credits your child will enter college with a huge headstart. They may even graduate faster than 4 years which will save them and you tons of money.
5. Your Child Will Have Flexibility in College
Since they’ve gotten so many of the intro classes out of the way using AP credit, they’ll have a lot more flexibility in what they take in college. They could pick up a second major, grab a minor, or even study abroad and still make the 4-year time limit.
There’s also room for “just because” classes if they want to dip into a few interesting electives. As you can see, AP classes are a great option if your child has more than one or two interests that they want to explore.
6. They’ll Be Challenged in a Subject They Love
There are almost 40 AP classes that your child has the option of taking. While their school may not offer all of them, there should be at least one subject that they’re both good at and enjoy.
Not only will they be able to take an advanced course in a subject they love but they’ll also get to be challenged by it.
7. They’ll be Challenged in General
Taking classes that are too easy will actually lower a student’s GPA more than it will raise it. If your child’s brain isn’t being stimulated in the way it should be, they may start to get bored. Boredom can stop them from trying as hard as they can.
So, if your child seems disinterested in their normal classes, talk to their counselor about giving them the extra challenge of AP classes.
8. Scholarship Potential
When colleges are handing out financial aid, they often look at those with AP credits first. It’s more likely that those with AP classes on their transcripts will be considered for and given scholarships.
Encourage Your Child to Take AP Classes in High School
If your child is about to enter their freshman year, consider talking to them about taking AP classes in high school. It can give them a jump start toward college while being a fun and interesting challenge for them. Set your child up for a brighter future.
