Transferring High School Credits to College

How do high school credits transfer to college? I'm taking a bunch of AP and dual enrollment classes, and I want to make sure I get as much credit as possible when I go to college. Any tips?

The process of transferring high school credits to college typically depends on the individual college's policies regarding Advanced Placement (AP) exams, International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, and dual enrollment classes.

For AP classes, once you have taken the exam at the end of the year, colleges typically provide credit for scores of 3 or higher (it depends on the school whether a 3 would be considered an elective credit or a core curriculum credit). However, some of the more selective institutions may only give credit for scores of 4 or 5. You should designate the college you plan to attend as a score recipient when you take the AP exam, so your scores will automatically be sent to that institution.

For dual enrollment, colleges generally accept credits as long as the class is college-level and the student receives a satisfactory grade. The college level is typically regarded as 100 level or above.

However, each college has its own policies on accepting high school credit, and the versions of classes they accept can vary. For instance, a college may treat your dual enrollment credit differently if it was taught by a high school teacher and not a college professor. Some might only take certain classes if they were taught on a college campus. Some institutions may prefer credits from particular local community colleges.

So, it's important to research the specifics of each individual college, which you can typically find on the college's website or by contacting the admissions office. You should also talk to your current teachers and school counselors about what classes are most likely to transfer into college credit.

Finally, keep in mind that although some colleges may not give you college credits for certain classes, they may allow you to place out of certain requirements based on your AP scores or dual enrollment grades, which could still help you graduate faster.