Changes

There are currently 37 AP exams. After a student completes a course, he may take the AP exam in that subject. The AP exams are typically offered on specific dates in the month of May. High schools usually weigh a student's grade in an AP class on a 6-point scale instead of the normal 4-point scale or 5-point Honors scale. The AP exams are graded on a 5-point scale. Most colleges and universities will offer college credit for exam scores of 3 or higher, depending on admission policy.

There are currently 37 AP exams. After a student completes a course, he may take the AP exam in that subject. The AP exams are typically offered on specific dates in the month of May. High schools usually weigh a student's grade in an AP class on a 6-point scale instead of the normal 4-point scale or 5-point Honors scale. The AP exams are graded on a 5-point scale. Most colleges and universities will offer college credit for exam scores of 3 or higher, depending on admission policy.

In order for a course to be designated "AP", it must go through the College Board's AP Course Audit process.  Schools develop their own curricula for courses labeled “AP”; the AP Course Audit specifies a set of expectations established by college and university faculty for college-level courses. Courses that meet or exceed these expectations may be authorized to use the “AP” designation.<ref>AP Course Audit Information[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/46361.html]</ref>  Homeschool educators may also use this process in order to label their courses "AP". <ref>AP Central: Frequently Asked Questions[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51272.html]</ref>

In order for a course to be designated "AP", it must go through the College Board's AP Course Audit process.  Schools develop their own curricula for courses labeled “AP”; the AP Course Audit specifies a set of expectations established by college and university faculty for college-level courses. Courses that meet or exceed these expectations may be authorized to use the “AP” designation.<ref>AP Course Audit Information[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/46361.html]</ref>  Homeschool educators may also use this process in order to label their courses "AP" <ref>AP Central: Frequently Asked Questions[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51272.html]</ref>.  However, any student can take an AP exam, even if he has not taken an AP course, even if he is [[homeschooled]], and even if his school does not offer AP courses.  Most schools that offer an AP exam are required to let anyone take it.

[[Jerry Jessness]] wrote:

All AP exams are graded together by AP teachers and college professors from across the nation.  After the initial grading, raw scores are curved to get the 1-5 scale that the student and college receives.  This means that the number of correct answers needed to earn a specific score varies from year to year.  It also means that school administrators cannot influence a particular student's score.  As [[Jerry Jessness]] wrote, "No student, not even a star athlete, can negotiate a higher grade on an A.P. exam."<ref> [http://www.reason.com/news/show/31070.html Why Johnny Can't Fail]: How the "[[floating standard]]" has destroyed public education</ref>

<blockquote>No student, not even a star athlete, can negotiate a higher grade on an A.P. exam.<ref> [http://www.reason.com/news/show/31070.html Why Johnny Can't Fail: How the "[[floating standard]]" has destroyed public education</ref></blockquote>

== List of AP Exams ==

== List of AP Exams ==

*[[Chemistry]]

*[[Chemistry]]

*[[Computer Science]] A

*[[Computer Science]] A

*Computer Science AB

* ''The Computer Science AB exam was discontinued after spring 2009.''

*[[Macroeconomics]]

*[[Macroeconomics]]

*[[Microeconomics]]

*[[Microeconomics]]

*[[German Language]]

*[[German Language]]

*Comp [[Government]] & [[Politics]]

*Comp [[Government]] & [[Politics]]

*U.S. Government & Politics

* U.S. Government & Politics

*Human [[Geography]]

*Human [[Geography]]

*[[Italian Language]] and Culture

*[[Italian Language]] and Culture