What it covers:

An Advanced Placement courseis a college-level accelerated course that is taught in high school. The test covers the curriculum from the entire year. There are AP exams in over 30 subjects including the sciences, foreign languages, math and English. A complete list of AP subjects can be viewed here. AP exams consist of a multiple choice section and a free response section.

Why it's offered:

AP exams are given to students to allow them to gain college credit or receive advanced placement for satisfactorily completing a college-level course in high school.

When it's taken:

AP exams are usually taken during the second and third weeks of May. Since AP courses typically replace standard classroom courses, some subjects may only be available during certain years of a student's academic career. Students may take multiple AP exams and classes each year. Students may register to take an AP exam, even if they are not formally enrolled through a school course, as schools are not required to offer courses in all or any AP subjects. For example, some AP English courses focus on the AP English Language exam, but students may elect to also enroll in the AP English Literature exam.

Registration Dates:

Students must contact AP services no later than March 1 and register with a local AP Service Coordinator by March 15. For more information about registration, click here.

How it's scored:

AP exams are given a rating 1 through 5 based on how successful the student would have been in a similar course taught in college. Many colleges offer course credit for AP exams scoring 3 or higher, but this depends greatly on the college and the subject.