For college-bound students, taking advanced courses in high school can be a great way to challenge yourself, explore potential majors, and potentially earn college credit before you graduate. Two of the most common options are Advanced Placement (AP) courses and dual enrollment classes.
But which one is better?
The answer is: it depends. Both can strengthen a student’s academic record, but they work differently, and the college-credit benefits aren’t always what families expect.
Benefits of AP Courses
AP courses are high school classes designed by the College Board to provide college-level academic work. Students typically take an AP exam at the end of the school year. Depending on the college and the student’s exam score, the student may receive college credit, placement, or both.
1. They demonstrate academic rigor.
Colleges generally want to see students challenge themselves appropriately. Taking AP courses can demonstrate that a student is willing and able to handle more rigorous coursework.
However, students don’t need to take every AP course available. Colleges typically evaluate rigor in the context of what is offered at the student’s high school.
2. AP courses are widely recognized.
One major advantage of AP is that colleges are familiar with the program. Admissions officers know what an AP course generally represents, making it relatively easy for them to understand a student’s academic program.
3. AP exams can potentially earn college credit.
Many colleges award credit for qualifying AP exam scores. However, policies vary significantly. Some colleges may award credit for a score of 3, while others require a 4 or 5. Some schools give elective credit, while others provide credit toward specific courses or graduation requirements.
4. AP courses can help students explore academic interests.
A student considering political science, for example, might take AP U.S. Government and Politics. A future engineering student might take AP Physics or AP Calculus.
This can give students a preview of college-level work in an area they’re considering pursuing.
Potential Cons of AP Courses
1. The workload can be significant.
AP classes are designed to be challenging. Taking too many at once can result in unnecessary stress and leave students with less time for extracurricular activities, jobs, family responsibilities, or simply maintaining a healthy balance.
2. The AP exam matters for college credit.
A student can do well in an AP course but not earn college credit if their exam score doesn’t meet the college’s requirements.
3. AP credit isn’t guaranteed to save money or time.
Even when a college awards AP credit, it may not reduce the number of semesters a student needs to graduate. Some schools use AP credit for electives or placement rather than replacing courses required for a major.
Benefits of Dual Enrollment
Dual enrollment allows high school students to take courses that provide both high school and college credit. Depending on the program, students may take courses at their high school, at a local college, online, or through another partnership.
Unlike AP courses, students generally earn credit by successfully completing the course rather than taking a single standardized exam.
1. Students can experience actual college coursework.
One of the biggest advantages is that dual enrollment can give students a taste of what college classes are really like.
Students may experience college-level reading, writing, exams, research papers, and expectations before they arrive on a college campus.
2. College credit may be earned through the course itself.
Because students generally earn credit based on their performance throughout the course, they aren’t relying on one AP exam at the end of the year.
3. Dual enrollment can provide access to courses that aren’t offered at the high school.
A student may be able to take courses such as sociology, anthropology, criminology, accounting, or specialized science courses that aren’t part of the high school’s regular curriculum.
4. It can help students explore potential majors.
Dual enrollment can be particularly useful when a student is curious about a subject that isn’t available through their high school curriculum.
Taking an introductory college course can help a student determine whether they actually enjoy a subject before committing to it as a college major.
Potential Cons of Dual Enrollment
1. College acceptance of the credits varies.
This is one of the most important considerations. Just because a student earns college credit through a dual enrollment program does not mean every college will accept that credit.
Colleges have their own policies regarding transfer credit. Some may accept the course as equivalent to a specific class, some may award elective credit, and others may not accept it at all.
2. The college on the transcript can matter.
Families should understand exactly how the dual enrollment course appears on the student’s academic record and which institution awards the credit.
A college may ask for an official transcript from the college where the dual enrollment course was taken.
3. A poor grade can follow the student.
This is an important difference between simply challenging yourself in high school and earning actual college credit.
Depending on the program, a dual enrollment course may create a college transcript. Students should understand the implications before enrolling.
4. The course may not be as rigorous as an AP course.
Not all dual enrollment courses are identical. A college-level course offered through a high school partnership can vary considerably in content and expectations.
Families should look at the specific course rather than assuming that every dual enrollment class carries the same weight as an AP course.
AP vs. Dual Enrollment: Which Should You Choose?
There isn’t a universal winner. Instead, students should consider their academic goals, the specific course, their college list, and how well they can manage the workload.
What About College Admissions?
This is where families sometimes get caught up in the wrong question.
The goal shouldn’t simply be to accumulate the largest number of AP or dual enrollment courses.
Colleges want to see students who have challenged themselves appropriately while succeeding academically.
For example, a student who takes five AP courses but earns significantly lower grades may not necessarily have a stronger application than a student who takes three AP courses, performs well, and has meaningful involvement outside the classroom.
The strongest schedule is usually one that provides an appropriate academic challenge without overwhelming the student.
Students should also consider what their particular high school offers. Admissions officers generally evaluate course rigor in the context of the opportunities available at the student’s school.
Will the College Accept the Credit?
This is perhaps the biggest misconception about advanced coursework.
Earning college credit in high school and being able to use that credit toward a college degree are two different things.
Before taking a dual enrollment course specifically because of the possibility of earning college credit, students should research the policies at the colleges they’re considering.
For AP courses, look at the school’s AP credit policy. For dual enrollment, determine whether the college accepts the institution, course, and number of credits.
And don’t assume that a college accepting the credit means the student can automatically skip a required course. Major requirements, prerequisites, placement policies, and graduation requirements can all affect how the credit is used.
Which is Better?
For many students, AP and dual enrollment can both be excellent choices.
AP may be particularly attractive for students who want a well-known, standardized measure of college-level academic work and the possibility of earning AP credit.
Dual enrollment may be a better fit for students who want to experience an actual college course, explore subjects outside their high school’s offerings, or earn credit based on their performance throughout the course.
And sometimes the best answer is both.
A student might take AP courses in core academic areas while using dual enrollment to explore a subject that isn’t available through the high school.
The Bottom Line
Don’t choose AP or dual enrollment simply because you think one “looks better” to colleges.
Instead, ask:
- Does this course challenge me appropriately?
- Am I likely to succeed in it?
- Does it fit with my academic interests?
- Will it leave enough time for my other commitments?
- How will the course appear on my transcript?
- If I’m taking it for college credit, will the colleges I’m considering accept it?
- Does the course help me build the kind of academic record I want colleges to see?
The best advanced course is not necessarily the one with the most impressive title. It’s the one that provides meaningful academic challenge, fits the student’s goals, and allows the student to succeed.
Caring College Consulting 
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