AP versus Dual Credit – What's your take?

I'm a rising junior and I'm trying to plan for senior year. With all the talk of college credit, I'm wondering if AP or Dual Credit is the way to go. Could you share your experiences with these? How did you make your choice?

If you're considering taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses or Dual Credit courses, it's worth noting that both can be effective ways to earn college credit while still in high school. But there are a few differences to consider.

AP courses follow a standardized curriculum set by the College Board, which may be more rigorous than your typical high school classes. At the end of the course, you'll take a nationwide standardized exam. If you score well (typically a 3, 4, or 5 out of 5), many colleges will give you college credit for the equivalent course. However, each college's policy varies, and some selective schools may not accept all AP scores for credit.

Dual Credit courses, on the other hand, are typically offered in collaboration with a local college. These courses count toward both high school and college credit. One advantage of Dual Credit is that the credit is typically guaranteed, as long as you pass the course with a certain grade, often a C or higher. Furthermore, the grade you earn in the course will usually transfer along with the credits, which isn't the case with AP.

When choosing between AP and Dual Credit, consider how the college you're interested in treats each of these options. AP scores are recognized nationally and internationally, while dual credit acceptance can vary widely between institutions, especially across state lines. Furthermore, understand that the rigor of AP courses could potentially stand out to admissions officers, as they follow a nationally standardized curriculum.

For a more informed decision, you might want to look into the intention behind taking these advanced courses. If it's about satisfying a general eds requirement, saving money, or getting an early taste of college-level coursework, either option could be useful. But if you're thinking about them as a means of delving deeper into your target major or interest, you might want to compare the course content to see which is a better fit.

Lastly, the choice might come down to the subject matter being studied. AP courses are available in a wide variety of subjects, while Dual Credit courses might be more limited, depending on what the partnering college offers.