Advanced Placement (AP) is a program offering college-level courses and exams for high school students. It allows students to earn college credit based on their exam scores, which range from 1 to 5.
Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 3.3 million students were homeschooled in the United States as of 2023, representing roughly 6% of the school-age population.
What is Advanced Placement (AP)?
The Advanced Placement (AP) program is run by the College Board. It offers 38 college-level courses and exams to high school students. Each May, students take standardized exams scored from 1 to 5. If you score 3 or higher, you might earn college credit at many schools. Here’s the key for homeschoolers: you don’t need to take an official AP course to take the exam. You can study on your own with any curriculum and still get college credit, just like students in traditional AP classes.
Course options for homeschoolers
You have three ways to prepare for AP exams:
- Official AP Courses: Enroll in courses from approved providers, like PA Homeschoolers, which has many online options.
- AP-aligned Curriculum: Use a curriculum that covers similar content, even if it’s not an official AP course. Many families love this for its flexibility.
- Independent Study: Prepare on your own using textbooks, prep books, and free resources like Khan Academy's AP content. The exam is the same for everyone, so colleges can’t tell how you prepared.
Strategic considerations
Not every AP exam is the same for homeschoolers. Some, like AP Biology, can be tough since they need lab work. Others, like AP U.S. History, AP English Language, or AP Calculus, are easier to tackle alone with available materials. Think about your child's strengths and what resources you have. Some families use AP exams to show strong skills in core subjects while focusing on passion projects where standardized tests matter less.
The bottom line
AP exams give homeschoolers a way to show they can handle college-level work and possibly earn college credit. The best part? You don’t need to take specific courses—you can prepare in a way that suits your student. Start early by reaching out to testing schools in the fall. Take advantage of the late-fee waiver for homeschoolers, and focus on the exam format. Scoring well can lead to significant college credit savings and boost college applications.
