Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

Why Take AP Courses?

There are many reasons to take AP courses, including a desire to:

• Demonstrate to college admissions officers your ability to excel in college level coursework.
• Emphasize your commitment to academic pursuits.
• Prepare for the AP exams and the possibility of receiving college credit at schools nation-wide.
• Earn college credit without paying college tuition.

What Are AP Courses?

Advanced Placement courses are college level courses taken as a part of a high school program. AP courses offer students the opportunity to take courses with more challenging college–level content. Students who complete AP courses are eligible to take the AP exams, administered each May by the College Board.* These exams are scored on a scale of 1–5. Students scoring between a 3 and 5 may qualify for college credit at most colleges and universities**.

Are AP Courses Right for Me?

If you are a sophomore, junior, or senior in high school, and you have successfully completed courses in core subjects, then contact your counselor (search by counselors) to discuss enrollment options for AP courses!

*AP Courses can get impacted; 11th & 12th grade students will receive admission priority 

What classes are available?

Oakland High School now offers Advance Placement courses in 7 subjects within the English, Foreign Language, History/Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science departments. For a complete list - with course descriptions - see the dropdown menu to the left.

*Students must register separately for the AP Exams. See below for important deadlines.

**Visit CollegeBoard for more information on the acceptability of Advanced Placement Credits at colleges and universities throughout the United States

AP, Advanced Placement, and Pre-AP are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, these products.

AP courses are equivalent to undergraduate level college courses and will prepare students for the College Board examinations given in early May. (See AP Testing Dates for more specific information.) These courses meet OUSD graduation requirements and students will receive five (5) credits for each semester course taken and passed, as well as an extra GPA point added for all grade earned as a C or better.