AP, which stands for ‘Advanced Placement’, is a university admission preparation program and exam that was first implemented in America in 1955 and then used all over the world. AP, which can also be described as an advanced placement program, aims to prepare students for university courses while they are still in high school, by providing a complete education.

With the AP (Advanced Placement) score, which is accepted by many leading universities in Turkey, students have the right to be exempted from the courses they took during high school and to earn a scholarship by completing their credits. This powerful and comprehensive program is implemented by universities such as Koç, Sabancı, Özyeğin and METU; it requires candidates to work extremely hard during a meticulously planned preparation process.

The AP program is implemented in more than 60 countries outside the United States, including Turkey. Especially since it is a program that proves the academic proficiency of people who want to study abroad, AP also offers these people the chance to be more advantageous compared to standard applicants. Turkish students participating in the AP diploma program take AP courses in addition to the education curriculum. For this reason, there are preparatory programs designed for students who need support at certain times.

How to Prepare for the AP Program?

In general, each university sets its own AP (Advanced Placement) admission requirement. Students must complete the courses related to the subject they are aiming to study and succeed in the proficiency exam to be held afterwards. Mostly, universities require an AP score from a minimum of 3 courses, but for some institutions, this score must be obtained from 4-5 courses. Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Statistics and Mathematics can be given as examples of the courses that students are exempted from at the end of the AP program, which is actively implemented in 14 high schools in Turkey. In addition, there is an alternative option for students who do not have an AP program in their high school. These individuals can enrol in AP courses offered online and thus prepare for the exam. In addition, it is possible to take the exam at the end of the Advanced Placement program more than once.

What Courses Does the AP Program Include?

Advanced Placement is constantly updated in terms of content. With the updates, the number of courses also increases every year. The courses in the content of the program for today are included in the following main headings:

  • The English,
  • History and Social Sciences,
  • Science,
  • World Languages and Cultures,
  • Mathematics and Computer Science,
  • Art and
  • AP Graduation Project.

Approximately 40 courses prepared for the 7 different fields are taught within the scope of this program. Every student has the right to take the exam as many times as they want. However, it is recommended to be prepared by taking an average of 3 courses for the field they target.

What are the AP Benefits?

Enrolment in the AP program is one of the most beneficial steps that can be taken to study in many prestigious universities at a global level- especially in America, Canada and England.

In fact, with the AP program, it’s possible for students who are still at the level of getting their high school education, to start their university education in this process; also gain some skills that will increase their success in the future. During this program, skills such as writing, problem-solving and working more effectively are gained, and students also have the chance to adapt to the university system early.

These students increase their probability of being accepted to foreign universities with the AP program; also increase the likelihood of enrolling in world-renowned universities such as Oxford, MIT, Yale, Stanford and Harvard. The AP program is also an opportunity for those who desire to do a double major. With this program, people who succeed in getting into the university of their choice will be able to easily spare time for the courses of another department instead of the courses they are exempt from. Thanks to this program, students who skip the courses required by some universities before their undergraduate degree can start their undergraduate education directly without wasting time.

What is the AP Exam?

Advanced Placement, run by the College Board, which prepares the SAT exam; is an exam in which short-answer, multiple-choice or essay-style questions are asked in combination. This exam can be applied in schools accredited by the College Board as an exam centre, which is completely different from the curriculum and exam system in Turkey. For this reason, getting detailed and sufficient information from the experts before the preparation directly affects the success of the exam. The AP exam content, which is repeated every year, is prepared by a board of high school AP teachers and university professors and consists of 2 parts.

In the first part, multiple-choice and short answer questions are included; in the second part, candidates are expected to write an essay. The duration of the exam and the number of questions vary depending on the subject chosen by the student. Exam evaluation is done both digitally and manually. According to this, short answer questions and essays are evaluated by authorized and expert trainers, while answers to multiple-choice questions are verified by the computer.

As a result of the exam, students are evaluated with a grade between 1 and 5, which they get in total from both sections. As a result of the exam, grades of 3 and above are considered as passing. Results reports of students who have taken the AP exam more than once are prepared using a cumulative method. In other words, all the results until the last exam taken by the student are included in this report. In this way, students can monitor their own progress in detail. Students who take the AP exam 3 times and get at least 3 points out of 5 for each obtain the title of AP Scholar.

When Are AP Exams Held?

The Advanced Placement exam is held in May each year. The entrance fee for the exam for countries other than Canada and the United States is set by the College Board at $125. However, in authorized exam centres outside the United States, this price may vary within the information of the institution. Exam results are announced in July. As of the 10th grade, it is recommended to start preparing for the AP exam at least 1 year in advance. In this way, a more systematic and success-oriented preparation process will be realized. During this period, many educational institutions also offer personalized study programs.