The first round of selecting courses for next year is done with course cards submitted Monday or Tuesday. Next, counselors will be meeting with students Feb. 12-20 to begin the process of finalizing their 2018-19 class schedule.

One of the biggest choices many rising juniors and seniors face: deciding between AP or dual credit with each providing a GPA bump (AP classes are weighted on a 6.0 GPA scale and dual credit weighted on a 5.5 scale).

“Every student is different and depending how you learn will help you decide,” college and career counselor Brittney Portnoy said. “If you do well in AP classes and test taking then AP may be the way to go.” “If you aren’t a good test taker then dual credit may be a better option.”

Both classes provide students the opportunity for college credit, however, AP students must  pass an end of the year exam to receive college credit with dual credit students simply need to pass the class.

That’s not the only difference as dual credit classes allow students more independence while in an AP course, the teacher helps guide their learning with an eye on passing the exam.

“In AP, we do spend a lot of time preparing students so if students are willing to put in the work, then students will reach the level where they feel comfortable,” AP Language teacher Chad Doty said. “They are expected to be more responsible than the average high school student. In dual credit you may face situations where you are just given an essay and expected to read the book and complete the given assignment.”

Counselors on campus have prepared a Dual Credit and AP Q&A sheet in order to answer various questions students have but in the end, each makes the choice they feel most comfortable with. 

“I took dual credit instead of AP because as long as you get college credit and pass the class then you get college credit,” senior Jordan Starkey said. “But if you take an AP class then you have to pass the end of the year exam which isn’t that hard if you study, but it’s more of a certified college credit.”

“I think I’m ready for the challenge,” sophomore Andrea Leyva Montiel said. “I have always taken Pre-AP and, my sister has taken the AP classes so I know what to expect.”