The ultimate goal of an AP or DC class is two-fold. They allow for the student to attain a college credit, and prove to colleges that they are competent with the specific curriculum. The difference lies in how the credit is attained. For any AP class, one is strongly encouraged to complete the AP exam at the end of the year. The danger here lies in one’s test-taking ability. If a person lacks confidence in their ability to ace a test this path may be more risky, however, if you are an extremely competent test taker and prefer to avoid the stress of maintaining a grade on a college transcript all year, taking the AP test is an extremely solid option. AP classes are also cheaper than a DC Course, costing $90 for the exam, in contrast to the higher and more variable cost of a DC Course.
The concern with these options covers different areas as well, an AP class focuses heavily on preparation for a single test, and as such the information can be a little more limited in scope. The class tends to optimize test performance, but not necessarily exploration and deeper understanding of the topics. A DC course has more freedom to cultivate more unique perspectives on a topic, but they are generally constrained to a college guideline.
The validity of AP and DC courses vary in different colleges. For AP classes, the most important thing to check is what score a college requires. Most Ivies either don’t accept APs or require a 5, while the vast majority of state schools accept a 3 or higher. To find the accepted AP scores for specific colleges and universities, go the The College Board website, select the AP tab near the middle of the page, then under the “Credit and Placement” drop-down menu select “Credit Policy Search.” From there, credit policies can be searched by subject or school. DC acceptances are much more variable, different schools will accept or not accept based on the expected rigor of the course, but a general rule of thumb is that the larger the difference between the challenge of the schools the less likely to be accepted the credit becomes.
AP and DC Credits come with the associated risks of taking a higher-difficulty course. College Courses are usually more rigorous than high school courses, so when selecting what DC classes take into account the amount of work you are willing to commit to a class. If you are incredibly protective of your GPA, take courses that you are confident you can do well in, or minimize the amount of struggle classes you take. For example, some Bishop Kelly underclassmen recommended that if you know that you are going to need to work hard in AP Physics, instead of taking AP Chemistry, take AP Art or AP Human Geography. The general advice from BK’s counseling office is to take no more than 3 AP courses a semester. Balance the risk you are taking to accommodate your abilities. Remember that someone’s easy course may not be yours, don’t just pick classes to look good on your transcript, pick courses you think you can genuinely excel in or will at least enjoy.
As you pick your classes, think about the balance between enjoyment and challenge. Branch out and explore new topics as you go through high school. This is a fantastic chance to discover your passions. It’s really hard to plan for a future you may have barely conceptualized, the best approach is to keep your options open and remember that you won’t regret having made an opportunity for a credit to transfer. Be it AP or DC, these credits can count as a college course and conceivably save you a lot of time.
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