AP Courses in the Achieve Virtual Online High School
Indiana high school students who want to hit the ground running when it comes to college are always looking for opportunities that will give them an edge when it’s time to start filling out applications. Achieve Virtual Education Academy is pleased to offer two programs for the ambitious student to get ahead: Advanced Placement (AP) courses and dual-credit courses with Vincennes University.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are more rigorous than even high school honors courses. They are designed following college-level curriculum standards as set each year by the College Board organization in charge of standardized tests for college admissions and placement. Because they are more advanced and have a higher workload, many colleges and universities will grant credits based on the end-of-year exam results for each AP course a high school student takes. They are also a great way for students to get a feel for more challenging academic environment they will find at institutions of higher education.
The results of AP exams taken by high school students may be treated differently at each college or university depending on the institution’s academic policies. For this reason, it is always recommended that students find out the specifics from each college to which they apply so they know what to expect. Also keep in mind that you need to score high enough on each AP final exam to potentially receive college credit. The minimum score on a 1-5 scale for college credit varies by course, and may also vary from college to college.
In many cases, students could potentially test out of several “general education” requirement courses found at many colleges and universities. What this can do is open up room in the student’s schedule to take on a minor or even do a double-major. In other cases, students may want to use AP credits to accelerate the completion of their college degree and graduate early in order to jumpstart their professional career. Everyone knows how expensive post-secondary education has become in recent decades, and AP courses in high school are a great way for students to maximize the value they get from a college education.
Achieve Virtual offers a variety of AP courses through its online high school available to Indiana students. There are times when a student may want to take an AP course only to discover that it is not being offered at their traditional public high school for whatever reason. This is a good time for that student to see if the AP course is available through Achieve Virtual. Our AP course offerings may vary from semester to semester, so always check our course page, but typically you’ll find the following:
- AP English Language Comp.
- AP English Literature Comp.
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Biology
- AP Chemistry
- AP Psychology
- AP US History
- AP US Government and Politics
- AP Macroeconomics
- AP World History
As you can see, ambitious students could conceivably get quite a few college credits under their belt so they have more possibilities open to them when they go to college. The online AP courses offered through Achieve Virtual are facilitated by highly-qualified teachers and provide a rich mix of audio, video, and multimedia materials to teach the content and prepare students for taking the final exam. Final exams are administered in a physical setting and students will be informed of where and when they can take exams each semester. In the search to make a college education more affordable, AP courses offer one way to get more “bang for your buck.”
Students who enroll for full-time status in Achieve Virtual pay nothing at all. Students who enroll for part-time status are asked to pay a modest fee. If, however, a student wants to take an AP course at Achieve Virtual because it’s not offered at their public high school, the school district may be willing to pay the fee on behalf of the student.
Dual-Credit Courses Through Achieve Virtual and Vincennes University
Another option for Indiana high school students who want to get a head start on college includes several dual-credit courses designed to be accepted for full college credit. We strive to make sure our dual-credit courses are included in the Core Transfer Library to make it as easy as possible to transfer these credits to the college or university you choose. Credit transfer policies vary by school, so please be sure to check with the specific college or university.
The dual-credit courses offered through Achieve Virtual are designed by Vincennes University faculty and staff and are also served up on a different learning management system (Blackboard) than our other high school courses (itslearning). Check our dual-credit page for current course offerings, which typically include the following:
- Math 102 College Algebra
- English Composition
- Introduction to Literature
- Spanish 101
- Introduction to Computer Concepts
You can see how doing well at several of the above courses would put a student ahead of the curve as they enter college. A student interested in majoring in Spanish would be able to start at the 200 level. Other students might want to get literature and composition courses out of the way to focus on more courses in their chosen major. Regardless of how a student wants to leverage these credits, the end result is getting more out of their college education.
Like our other course offerings, Achieve Virtual students enrolled as full-time status pay nothing at all for dual-credit courses. Students located in Wayne Township also do not pay any fees at all. Students enrolled as part-time status are asked to pay a modest fee per course to participate in our online high school and dual-credit classes. Students taking dual-credit courses may need to purchase textbooks for each course.
Because our dual-credit courses are college-level classes, there are prerequisites that need to be met before students are accepted. Students should work with a school counselor to make sure they meet any prerequisites as determined by Vincennes University for a dual-credit course.
If you have specific questions about the AP courses and/or dual-credit courses offered through Achieve Virtual Education Academy, please feel free to contact us any time – we’re here to help you achieve academic success through our online education programs for high school students!
