Quick Reference Guide to AP, IB, and DE Courses
Advanced Placement (AP) is an upper level course taught by a high school teacher, with rigor considered to be equivalent to a college course. AP courses and exams are standardized across schools, meaning students in an AP class have the same curriculum, rubric, and exam no matter what high school they attend. Additional considerations:
Final grade in the course appears on the high school transcript.
Final exams (often optional, depending on high school policy) are scored on a 1-5 scale. Students choose whether and which exam scores they will submit with their college applications. AP exam scores for senior year courses would not be available for admissions review purposes.
Generally scores of 4 or 5 will receive college credit of some kind; less often, a score of 3 might. College credit awarded will depend on the exam scores and the undergraduate institution’s policy.
Even if you receive credit, certain majors may require you to repeat particularly important courses on campus to ensure a proper foundation for their curriculum. For example, if you take DE Biochem in high school then pursue a major in Biochemistry at The Ohio State University, you will be required to take OSU’s Biochemistry course to ensure foundational knowledge for success in their program.
International Baccalaureate (IB) is an upper level course taught by a high school teacher, with rigor considered to be equivalent to a college course. IB courses and exams are standardized across schools, and the program is internationally-minded, writing-intensive, and multidisciplinary. Additional considerations:
Final grade in the course appears on the high school transcript.
Final exams (optional except to earn the IB Diploma) are scored on a 1-7 scale. Students choose whether and which exam scores they will submit with their college applications. Similar to AP, senior year exam grades would not be available for admissions purposes.
Generally, scores of 6 or 7 will receive college credit of some kind; possibly a 4 or 5 might. College credit awarded will depend on the exam scores and the undergraduate institution’s policy.
Dual Enrollment (DE) is a college course taken while in high school, resulting in both high school and college credit. Courses may be taught at the high school, online, or on a college campus by a college instructor, or, possibly a high school teacher with approval to teach the course. As it is a college course, it is generally deemed as rigorous, but the courses and exams are not standardized across schools. Additional considerations:
DE courses not taught at the high school could be more challenging to fit into your school day and extra-curricular schedule.
In recalculating GPA for admissions purposes, some colleges (for example, University of Georgia) do not add weight for DE courses, as they are not standardized like AP and IB. Check with admissions counselors for colleges on your list for specifics regarding how DE is considered in the admissions review.
Final grades in DE courses will appear on both your high school transcript and college transcript. They will also be factored into your college GPA. It is important to note that any Bs or Cs (or below) earned in DE courses during high school can impact your college career and beyond. These grades can affect your eligibility for merit scholarships, as well as your future academic opportunities. DE grades are only (sometimes) weighted in college admissions - they are not weighted on your college transcript.
The college you ultimately attend will determine whether DE coursework earns credit at their institution - and which specific course credit(s) it earns you - but your DE grades follow you either way.
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