Students at Putnam City’s three high schools last year earned 2,311 hours of college credit and saved as much as $431,000 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.
Most of the nation's colleges and universities have an AP policy granting incoming students credit, placement, or both for qualifying AP test 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 performance of Putnam City AP students in 2007 bettered results in 2006 when students earned 2,061 hours of college credit and saved about $350,000.
It’s not all about cost savings and credits, Mouse says. Students in high school AP classes also benefit by experiencing a rigorous curriculum that helps them succeed in 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 2005 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.
"Passing AP tests can provide a way to cut back on the hours and dollars spent pursuing a college degree, and taking AP courses make it more likely that you’ll succeed in college once you get there. We’re pleased that so many students and families benefit so substantially from our AP program," says Mouse.