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What Is AP?

By Robert Kennedy, About.com

Skip a year with good scores

Photo © Sandeep Nair
Definition: What is AP? AP or Advanced Placement is a term which describes courses leading to examinations in your senior year. A high score in these examinations generally guarantees advanced placement in college. This means that you can skip many freshman or entry level courses and enroll in second year college courses.

Most college prep schools offer AP courses. Typically you will find from 15 to 25 subjects including very specialized ones like Mandarin and Japanese.

Find more terms in the Private School Glossary.

Also Known As: Advanced Placement
Examples:
From the College Board site: "AP can change your life. Through college-level AP courses, you enter a universe of knowledge that might otherwise remain unexplored in high school; through AP Exams, you have the opportunity to earn credit or advanced standing at most of the nation's colleges and universities."

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