Students at Putnam City’s three high schools last year earned 1,779 hours of college credit and saved as much as $452,500 in college costs by taking advanced placement (AP) courses and passing AP tests, says Dr. Melani Mouse, Putnam City’s assistant superintendent for Secondary Education.
According to the College Board, more than 90 percent of four-year colleges in the United States provide credit and/or placement for qualifying AP exam grades. For institutions that grant credits, every hour of college credit earned in high school is an hour that students don’t have to take or pay for while attending college, says Mouse. The cost-savings figures for Putnam City students were arrived at by multiplying the total credit hours earned by AP students times the per hour cost of attending the University of Oklahoma.
The advantages of taking AP classes and passing AP tests don’t stop at saving money, Mouse says. Handling the challenge of AP classes helps students succeed in college. AP classes require students to use college-level critical thinking, problem-solving and writing skills. Students in AP classes find they must adopt the time management skills, discipline and homework habits necessary for college.
A U.S. Department of Education study says participation in AP or other rigorous courses is a stronger predictor of success in college than test scores or grade point average. A study by the National Center for Educational Accountability says students who earned a 3 or better on one or more AP Exams in the areas of English, mathematics, science, or social studies were more likely to graduate from college in five years or less compared to non-AP students.
Graduating from college means higher earnings, Mouse says. New information from the U.S. Census Bureau says that over an adult's working life, high school graduates can expect, on average, to earn $1.2 million; those with a bachelor's degree, $2.1 million; and people with a master's degree, $2.5 million. College graduates also have a much lower unemployment rate that people with high school diplomas.
Putnam City offers 20 different AP courses to district students, including English literature, calculus, biology, physics, chemistry, U.S. government, U.S. history, studio art and music theory. Current district students who are interested in enrolling in advanced placement classes should visit with their counselor.
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For More Information
Steve Lindley, Communications Director
(405) 495-5200, x1204
(405) 812-6119
slindley@putnamcityschools.org