Online AP courses in Summer: 12 Pros and Cons

Online AP Courses are a combination of lectures, quizzes, and exams presented online. There are many online AP courses you may find lucrative, and taking online AP courses may provide you with a lot of benefits, from improving academics to getting different grades. But like all other courses, it has pros and cons. This article will explain the pros and cons of taking online AP courses and how you can take AP classes over the summer. 

Pros of Taking Online AP Courses

There are many benefits of taking an online AP course. Some of them are discussed below.

You may receive credit.

Many high schools offer extra credits for the courses and exams taken by the students. But this entirely depends upon the regulations of the school. For example, it might appear as a FAIL or PASS on your mark sheet, or you may get extra credits for taking the online AP course.

Improves Academics

Taking multiple online courses like online AP courses in your spare time improves your extra knowledge on different topics. This additional knowledge may be helpful in your further education. Moreover, the effort made during online classes better prepares you for the AP exams. In much research, it is found that the students who engage in AP courses are better performers, among others.

You can take AP courses that your school does not provide

There can be a case where the course you want might not be offered in your school. Can I take AP classes online? Even some schools don’t have any AP classes. However, you can find a range of courses through online AP programs. You can take these online AP courses as per your requirements.

Better accessibility and easy-to-use user interface

Online AP courses are very well-designed courses. You get a tailor-made experience from the online platform. Teachers are accessible and provide valuable and timely support. You can also choose your course from the reviews on the course.

Availability of Better Materials

The material of the online AP courses is engaging, compelling, and delivered understandably. The study materials of the online AP courses are designed by the best professors and are timely reviewed for the accuracy of the content.

Comparison of your skills among others

There are a large number of students in online AP classes. You can compare your studies during the quizzes and tests provided by the online AP classes. The score of the test shows the efficiency of your research. You can use your test result to improve your performance further.

You can explore different career opportunities.

There is a large variety of online AP courses in the market. Different online courses provide a window for other career opportunities. In addition, you can select the course according to your future requirements.

Improves time management

The time frame of the online classes is very flexible, and you can choose your time for the online class as per your free time during the day. Are you wondering how you can take AP classes over the summer? As the online courses are flexible with the time, you can better use your spare time in preparation for AP exams. So, how to take AP classes online? Taking online AP classes will help your time management strategies, which can be very useful in further studies.

Self-Paced

Online AP courses are a boon for those students who want to move on to the content at their own pace. As the speed of learning of every student is not the same, the flexibility of the duration of the online classes allows students to fit the course into their required timeline. The workload on the online AP class is reasonable.

Cost-Effective

Many of the schools provide online AP courses for free. You may contact your school regarding the availability of the course. Many online AP courses can be selected per the students’ budget requirements. You can also save money on traveling to the offline class location.

More Accessible

Online AP courses are more easily accessible than traditional classes. Not all places can access many of the offline AP classes. However, even in far-off places, one can attend online AP programs.

Online AP classes help secure scholarships.

Online AP classes can help you get better grades on exams and tests, which can be very beneficial to earn scholarships. 

Cons of Taking Online AP Courses 

In addition to the pros, there are also some cons of online courses.

Less Concentration

Online AP courses require self-discipline. Therefore, you may not get proper in-person assistance from the teachers, resulting in a lack of concentration. As a result, students of online AP classes are more vulnerable to missing classes. 

Health Issues

Online AP classes require regular elongated screen-on-time, which can cause eye problems like dry eyes, irritation, etc. In addition, improper posture during online classes can also cause back problems.

Lack of Socializing Skills

Online classes are just a virtual world of education. You cannot meet your batchmates or interact with your teacher. Teacher-to-student interaction is very useful in studies. Learning online may create a sense of isolation,

Lack of connectivity

If there is a slight disturbance on the internet, the experience in the online AP class may worsen. In addition, as online AP classes require better speed of connection, if your internet connection is poor, you may not appear for your online classes.

You still have to go to school for the exams.

Yes, everything is not available online; even if you have done all the AP courses online, you still have to appear for the exam physically.

The cost of the exam is very high.

The average cost of an AP exam is $95, at least in the US and US territories. The exam costs $125 for students who live outside of these regions. The two exceptions are AP Seminar and AP Research, which have tests that cost $143 everywhere. Exams ordered after their due date will cost an extra $40. A student might easily spend several hundred dollars if they take numerous AP tests. Fortunately, fee relief is available to students who are registered in or eligible for the National School Lunch Program. To get the rebate, you have to fulfill certain criteria.

How can I take AP Courses Online Over the Summer?

You can follow these steps to take an AP course online in the summer.

Step 1 – Find an AP course offered in the summer.

You must contact the school to check whether you can take AP courses in the summer. You may also check online for the timeline of the different online AP courses.

Step 2 – Enroll in the course and ensure acceptance at the school

You can enroll in the course by completing some simple steps, and you must inform the school regarding the course. If you do not inform your school, you may refrain from the benefits of the course.

Step 3 – Prepare for the exam and take the exam.

It would be best if you focused on the preparation for the exams because your performance in the exam is considered for the different grades.

Conclusion

There are certain advantages and disadvantages of online AP classes. But still, online AP classes provide you with better capabilities. You can use your spare time to take the classes at your convenience. Even if your school does not give credits for the online AP classes, the course is still helpful for admission to top colleges. We hope this article has helped you eliminate all the confusion about online AP classes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are some popular online AP courses?

Ans: Some of the popular AP courses are

• AP English language from John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
• AP US History from the UC System’s Scout Program
• AP Psychology from the Florida Virtual School
• AP Human Geography from the Florida Virtual School
• AP Art History from the Florida Virtual School
• AP Biology from Apex Learning
• AP Chemistry from Chem Advantage
• AP Computer Science A
• AP CS A from the Florida Virtual School

Q2. Do all the schools give AP credits?

Ans: Some more reputable schools refuse to grant credit for AP results. Still, some schools accept some topics but not others. Even if you don’t get credit, attending the course and passing the exam will still show that you can manage challenging college-level work. Also, several institutions use the test to determine placement.

Q3. What are the requirements for an online AP course?

Ans: Some technical requirements include access to a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet with good internet connectivity and additional program and course-specific requirements. These program and course-specific requirements vary from course to course. For example, AP Biology from Apex Learning has a combination of virtual/in-person labs, which are compulsory to attend.