Here are the top three reasons why AP courses help college-bound students:

• AP studies can give you a head start on your college degree. Many colleges give students credit toward graduation on the basis of high AP exam scores, or allow them to place out of lower-level classes.
• College admissions officers like to see AP courses on your high school transcript. AP courses demonstrate a high level of high school achievement that can give students an advantage in the college admissions process. According to a College Board study, “85 percent of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admissions decisions.”
• AP courses give you a preview of what college will be like. AP-level work helps students learn essential college study skills. For students with AP experience, the challenges of rigorous college courses will be much more familiar and manageable.