The Advanced Placement (AP) program began in the 1950s as a means of providing college-level rigor to intellectually advanced individuals while they are still in high school. Since the 1980s, the program has massively expanded its reach, such that currently, over 80% of the nation’s public high school students attend a school that offers a variety of AP courses. We are interested in the rate at which students take AP courses and exams as well as gender differences in AP course participation and exam performance. As part of a broader study on experiences in high school, 468 college students reported on their experience, or lack thereof, with AP courses and AP exams in high school. They reported on whether they participated in the AP program, what AP courses and AP exams they took, their reasons for taking or not taking them, and their performance on AP exams. We have begun analyzing data relating to our predictions and research questions. Preliminary findings indicate that the top three reasons that participants reported for taking AP courses were that they wanted potential college credit, they were interested in the topic, and that AP looks good on college applications.
