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In high school, "AP" stands for Advanced Placement which is an international program through College Board that offers college-level courses and exams.
These courses cover the same material as introductory-level college courses and are designed to prepare students for college-level work.
Taking AP courses and their AP exams can lead to earning college credit or placement in higher-level courses here at Wheeler like our post-AP courses (Advanced Physics Principles/Robotics, Advanced DNA/Genetics Research, etc).
Explore frequently asked questions about AP below!
What careers or college majors connect to each AP course?
College Board has created a few websites to help students explore which college majors and careers each AP course can help them pursue in the future.
Check out the links below:
https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/choosing-courses/by-major-career
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/explore-careers/get-started/ap-courses-majors-and-careers
What AP courses are offered at Wheeler?
Please check out our Course Catalog that has all our AP courses listed, their course descriptions, and the prerequisite courses and grades a student must meet to take those courses - https://viewer.joomag.com/wheeler-course-catalog/0392011001733840348/p1?short=
What can I expect when taking an AP course?
Courses designated as AP require that students commit to an in-depth, intensive study of complex material, both in and out of class. The following expectations are required of students completing these courses:
AP courses require students to work independently.
Students often have to work on assignments without detailed instruction. Students are responsible for asking questions when they do not fully understand material. Students must be prepared to spend a greater amount of time on homework. In addition, students must seek extra help, if needed, and make appointments with their teachers to obtain added support.
AP courses require students to develop personal commitments and a strong work ethic.
Simply attending class and behaving acceptably is not adequate; students must participate in discussions and activities. They must develop an active interest in the concepts they are learning, engage these concepts, and actively seek answers to questions. Students must commit to doing their best work, not the least work necessary, for a high grade.
AP courses require students to value learning.
While grades are important and taken seriously, learning must be the first priority of students. Students must be able to learn from mistakes. The thinking skills students practice are abstract and often have uncertain answers. Students must learn to cope with vagueness and to think through complex questions. Immediate rewards for “right” answers are not always possible in the context of AP courses.
AP courses require students to maintain a positive attitude.
Students should not display resistance with a task because it is new or difficult. When work is “easy,” students may be practicing skills rather than learning new ones. Discomfort with new tasks is normal, and students must be willing to take risks. They must do their best and strive to see the purpose of the work they are doing.
AP courses require students to take an interest in the subject.
Students must be willing to analyze their work in detail and participate in lengthy discussions and projects. Each level of an advanced is preparation for the next advanced course. Students must not limit themselves to the assigned material, but continually strive to learn more by engaging in outside reading, doing additional research, etc.
AP courses require students to exhibit academic integrity in the classroom.
Students should review the Cobb County Cheating Policy, which is outlined in the student handbook. Cheating comes in many forms. Students are expected to follow a strict honor code which includes the avoidance of any cheating whatsoever. The consequences of such behavior can include a zero grade on the assignment in question, a written referral to be placed in the student’s permanent folder, possible removal from school programs such as Magnet or the STEAM Academy, and denied entry into certain organizations such as the National Honors Society.
What is an AP exam?
An AP exam is different than a typical class final exam.
AP scores earned from taking AP exams are used to determine if a student can possibly earn college credit based on how "qualified" a student is by showcasing their knowledge of the content of the course.
All AP exams, excluding AP Seminar, have a weighted combination of 2 different sections - multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and free-response questions (FRQs) that are completed on the day of the AP exam in May.
Please note, not all AP courses have an AP exam, but instead, students upload specific performance task components that were completed while taking the course to a digital portfolio such as AP 2-D Studio Art and AP Research.
For AP Computer Science Principles, AP African American Studies, and AP Seminar, students will upload specific performance task components that were completed while taking the course to a digital portfolio and take an AP exam.
All AP scores are given on a 1-5 scale, with a 3 or higher being considered "passing".
5 - Considered extremely well qualified and is equivalent to an A+ or A in a college course
4 - Considered very well qualified and is equivalent to an A-, B+, or B in a college course
3 - Considered qualified and is equivalent to a B-, C+, or C in a college course
Which AP credits do colleges/universities accept?
The college credit a student can receive based on their AP exam score can vary upon the college/university. Some colleges/universities do not accept certain AP course credit, and some accept credit based on the score you earn.
For example, the Georgia Institute of Technology (GA Tech) offers college credit for the AP Latin exam only if a student earns a 4 or 5 but does not offer college credit for the AP Italian Language and Culture exam for any level of achievement.
The easiest way to determine if a student should take an AP exam for a certain AP course is to use College Board's AP Credit Policy Search guide - https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies
When do I take the AP exam?
AP exams are only given the first 2 weeks in May, even if a student takes an AP course in the Fall semester.
Any late AP exams (approved only for specific circumstances) are given the 3rd week of May.
We recommend that families try to avoid scheduling vacations until after the late testing window just in case their student needs to complete a late test due to a digital malfunction error, a power or connection outage, or another unforeseen circumstance.
How do I register to take an AP exam?
Visit our Registering for AP exams page for more details.
For Fall, skinny/yearlong, independent study, and homeschool students, the Fall deadline to register and pay for their AP exam is October 31, 2025.
For Spring students, the Spring deadline to register and pay for their AP exam is February 27, 2026.
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