How does college credit typically work?

Hey guys! So I've been hearing a lot about college credit and the different types but I'm kinda lost. What's the most standard type of college credit students get? Is it through AP classes or is dual enrollment more common? And how does it benefit me when I start college? Thanks in advance.

Hello! Great question. Both Advanced Placement (AP) courses and dual enrollment can indeed earn you college credit, but which type is more standard depends on the high school and its resources. Some schools might offer an extensive range of AP classes while others might have agreements with local colleges for dual enrollment. Both are valuable and widely recognized by colleges.

The "credits" you earn essentially represent the hours of instruction time a course involves, and each college sets its own policies of how many credits they require for graduation, how they transfer credits, and how much credit they'll award for AP exams or dual enrollment courses.

AP courses followed by exams are one way students acquire college credits while still in high school. The AP represents 'advanced placement', and upon successful completion of an AP exam (usually a score of 3, 4, or 5), many colleges will award credit allowing you to bypass certain lower-level (often referred to as "general education") requirements. It's important to know each college has its own AP score requirements to reward those credits.

Dual enrollment allows high school students to take college-level courses at a local community college or university, leading to both high school and college credit. The transferability of these credits when enrolling in a different college/university varies depending on the specific institution and course content, so it's a good idea to verify this with any potential colleges you're considering.

As for benefits, earning college credits while still in high school can save you time and money once you start college. You could potentially graduate earlier or have more flexibility in your schedule to add a minor or second major, study abroad, or participate in internships or research projects. It also demonstrates to colleges that you're capable of handling challenging coursework, which can be advantageous during the admissions process.

So, both options could be a good fit depending on your educational goals, resources, and how the colleges on your list view AP credits and dual enrollment credits. It's always a good idea to research the policies of any colleges you're interested in to find out how they handle these credits. Hope this helps!