What are Advanced Academics?
Students, while still in high school, may sign up for advanced academic courses which may lead to college credit. Students should meet with their high school counselors or teachers to obtain more information about these courses and support services.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Advanced Placement is a program by which you can take college level courses in high school and earn both high school and college credits. By taking an AP course and scoring successfully on the related AP Exam (either a 3, 4 or 5), you can save on college expenses: most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit, advanced placement, or both, for qualifying AP Exam scores. These credits can allow students to save college tuition, study abroad, or secure a second major. AP can transform what once seemed unattainable into something within reach: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/home
Dual Credit (DC)
Dual credit classes are classes that you take in high school that also give you college credits in the state of Texas at the same time. This is a great opportunity for you because the dual credit program is completely free of charge! You could graduate from high school with up to 42 hours of college credit before even stepping onto a college campus! (That's over an entire year already completed)!
Dual Credit vs. Advanced Placement — Comparison Table
| Category | Dual Credit | Advanced Placement (AP) |
|---|---|---|
| Earning Credit | Finish course with a grade of 70 or higher. 99% of students enrolled in dual credit courses earn the credit. | Achieve a certain score on the end-of-year exam. Success rate varies by subject. |
| Records / Transcripts | Grade is posted on and is part of the permanent college transcript. Students request a transcript from Alamo Colleges to transfer credit to another college or university. | Students send AP exam scores to colleges to request credit. AP course grade does not appear on the college transcript. |
| Transfer Credit | Most public Texas universities accept transfer credit from Alamo Colleges. | Most U.S. colleges and universities offer credit for qualifying AP scores. All Texas colleges and universities offer credit for scores of 3 or higher (scores range 1–5). |
| Eligibility | Students must meet certain criteria and complete an application process. | Anyone may enroll, and there is no registration process. |
| Course Limits | Up to 5 classes per semester; up to 14 courses during high school. | Unlimited. |
| Cost | Free. | Course is free. Exam fee applies. |
AP and Dual Credit Course Guides
Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
- No limit to how many AP courses a student can take at the same time.
- College credit is earned by passing the AP exam (score of 3 or higher).
- AP credits are accepted nationally but credit policies vary by college.
- Students should confirm credit transfer policies with individual universities.
| AP Course Name | Grade level for course | High School Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SCIENCE | ||
| AP Biology M | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Biology D | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Chemistry M | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Physics 1 M | 11 | 1 |
| AP Physics 2 M | 12 | 1 |
| SOCIAL STUDIES | ||
| AP Human Geography M | 9 | 1 |
| AP World History M | 10 | 1 |
| AP US Government M | 12 | 0.5 |
| AP US History M | 11 | 1 |
| AP US History M Dual | 11 | 1 |
| AP Macroeconomics M | 12 | 0.5 |
| AP Psychology Adv | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP European History | 11-12 | 1 |
| ENGLISH | ||
| AP English 3 M | 11 | 1 |
| AP English 3 Dual M | 11 | 1 |
| AP English 4 M | 12 | 1 |
| AP English 4 D M | 12 | 1 |
| MATH | ||
| AP Precalculus | 10-12 | 1 |
| AP Precalculus D | 10-12 | 1 |
| AP Calculus AB M D | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Calculus AB M | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Calculus BC M D | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Calculus BC M | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Statistics M | 10-12 | 1 |
| COMPUTER SCIENCE | ||
| AP Principles of Computer Science | 9-11 | 1 |
| LOTE (Languages Other Than English) | ||
| AP Latin 4 | 12 | 1 |
| AP Spanish 4 M | 9-12 | 1 |
| AP Spanish 5 M | 9-12 | 1 |
| FINE ARTS | ||
| AP Music Theory | 10-12 | 1 |
| AP Art History | 11-12 | 1 |
| AP Art Drawing Portfolio | 10-12 | 1 |
| AP Art 2-D Design Portfolio | 10-12 | 1 |
Dual Credit (DC) Courses
- Students are not limited in the number of dual credit courses per year.
- Students may earn up to 14 college courses total through Dual Credit.
