Advanced Placement. Dual Enrollment. Dual Credit. These are the three types of classes students at White Station can take in order to receive college credit while still taking high school classes, but what are the differences between these three classes?

There are 29 AP classes offered at White Station and even more that students can take online. They are challenging classes that give students a taste of what to expect in college.

“If you are looking at going to a prestigious private or ivy league [college], you are going to have to take AP classes because otherwise, they are not going to consider that you have been part of a rigorous curriculum,” guidance counselor Leslie Fleming said.

At the end of the year, AP students take an exam that will determine if they will receive college credit for the class. It is up to the college to decide what scores they will take for credit, but it’s possible to enter college as a second-semester freshman or even a sophomore if enough AP credit is amassed.

AP classes can also help students learn valuable skills like time management and team building that are crucial to higher education and future careers.

“We try to put more responsibility on the students so that it is student driven. I want to serve as just the facilitator and let the students direct their own learning,” AP and Dual Enrollment teacher Chikezie Madhu said. “It challenges you beyond your comfort zone.”

AP classes can be demanding, but there are alternate courses offered at White Station for which students can still receive college credit.

Students taking Dual Enrollment classes are enrolled for that class at a local university, but they are able to take the class at White Station during the school day. They do not have to take a test at the end of the year but still receive credit hours that can be transferred to some colleges.

In recent years, another option to receive college credit has been offered—Dual Credit classes. Similar to AP, students take a test at the end of the year that they must pass in order to receive the credit. For example, seniors who don’t want to take an AP math can take Dual Credit Statistics.   

This gives more choices to students who are looking for a higher level course.

“It’s a great class. You get college credit, and it prepares you more for college,” Robyn Maxwell, the Dual Credit Pre-Calculus teacher, said.

While these classes may be challenging, the reward of college credit is something that entices students to go that extra mile and get the most out of the high school experience.