You are reading this article because you want to be successful and stand out in the college admissions process. There are many ways to achieve this. You can join the school band, make the varsity basketball team, or impress the selection committee with your SAT scores. Yet, even with a stellar list of extra curricular activities under your belt, the courses you choose and the grades you receive will always make or break a college’s decision. Why not increase your chances of getting accepted into a top university or college by earning college credit and advanced placement? Sounds like a sweet deal.

The Advanced Placement (AP) program is made up of college-level courses and exams. The College Board, a non-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity, offers placement or credit to high school students who obtain high scores on the examinations.

Since 1955, a panel of experts and college-level educators have created AP curriculum in a variety of subjects. Then, skilled, passionate, and inspiring teachers deliver the material and prepare you to take a comprehensive exam. You’ll study in dynamic classrooms, engage in intense discussions, work with classmates to solve problems, and learn to write clearly. What are you interested in? Educator.com features 11 AP subject courses, but there are 34 interesting AP courses to choose from with subjects that range from Calculus to Music Theory.

Many students may find AP courses intimidating, but they are nothing more than a preview of what you’ll do in college. If you plan on going to college, then you are going to need the skills these courses teach. Not only will you learn the subject matter, but AP courses can also help you acquire the skills and habits you’ll need to be successful in college. And success in college is a beautiful thing. It leads to higher grades, which in turn lead to better internships, which lead to amazing jobs, which can ultimately make you well-off financially. Imagine, all that success can come from taking even just one AP course. They are designed to improve your writing skills, sharpen your problem-solving abilities, as well as, develop your time-management skills, discipline, and study habits.

By now, you’re probably wondering how to sign up and get started. Once you’ve decided to take the AP challenge it’s easy to enroll. Talk to an AP teacher or the AP Coordinator at your school about the courses you want to take. You’ve already put yourself in line with success and a step ahead of the rest!