At Waterford High School, there are 15 AP classes for students to take, as well as one more being added for the 2025-26 school year. Around 120 students are currently taking AP classes.
AP exams are scored on a one to five number scale. A one or a two means a college will not accept any college credit for the class, a three is passing, and a four or five means the test taker excelled and is extremely qualified for the AP credit.
Taking AP classes can make students stand out in their applications. According to College Board, 85% of selective universities and colleges report that seeing AP classes on students’ transcripts can increase their chances of being accepted.
Students can save money by taking AP classes because, if they pass the AP test in May, they might be able to receive college credit and will be able to skip introductory classes. This is beneficial for the students because they will spend less time and money taking those classes.
Melissa Guillemettte, a guidance counselor at Waterford High, says “taking AP classes can be an excellent way for students to save money in the long run, by earning college credit early. This can reduce the cost of their college education by potentially bypassing introductory courses. It’s a great investment.”
Taking AP classes in high school helps students have more success in college rather than lower-level students. AP classes teach students how to better manage their time and how to study better to help them succeed at the college level.
Hazel Siu, a senior at Waterford High, says “I feel as though I am more prepared for college because of the AP classes I have taken.”
A research study conducted by College Board found that students who receive a two on their exam, despite not receiving college credit, prove that they have the ability to do college work. The study also proved that students who receive a three or higher on their AP exams tend to have a higher success rate and graduation rate than their counterparts who did not take AP classes.
Despite there being many advantages to taking AP classes in high school, there are still disadvantages to taking such classes.
According to the United States Performance Academy, AP classes are more demanding and labor-intensive. AP classes need students to have a more intense understanding of the content than lower-level students.
The United States Performance Academy also reported that AP classes move at a faster rate than classes of lower levels, so it may be harder for students to catch up on work that they missed. However, Zaya Haglund, a junior at Waterford High, says that AP classes are more engaging than lower-level classes due to their faster pace.
Students also have to pay almost 100 dollars per AP class to take the exam in the spring. At Waterford High, however, the school does provide financial assistance for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch due to their house income.
The United States Performance Academy also says that selective colleges prefer to see only certain AP classes on students’ transcripts. Not all AP classes will be accepted by the college, so the classes can turn out to give zero college credits. Often, secondary or “satellite” AP classes (non-core class APs) also get overlooked by colleges.
Selective colleges have a stricter policy on which AP classes they will accept, so non-core class APs like AP Drawing might get overlooked for college credit in the application process. Holly Saad, a guidance counselor at Waterford High, recommends this College Board website for students to figure out “which colleges accept credit for specific AP scores.”
There are advantages and disadvantages to taking AP classes, so it is up to the student whether or not they should take such classes.
