Counseling Corner: Addison Trail Guidance Department shares important details about AP exams

The Addison Trail Guidance Department shares important information about Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level exams.

All Addison Trail students enrolled in AP courses are encouraged to register to take the corresponding AP exam. AP exams will be administered during the first two weeks of May.

• Students must register for AP exams between March 7 and 18 at the Addison Trail Bookstore.
• The registration fee is $92 for each exam. Students can pay with cash, credit card (Visa or MasterCard) or check made payable to Addison Trail High School. Students who miss the registration deadline will be charged a $55 late fee.
• Historically, students who receive free or reduced lunch have received a fee reduction. However, we are still awaiting the final determination of the reduced fee amount. Students will be notified as soon as we receive this information.

One of the benefits of taking AP exams is students have the opportunity to earn college credit. Students must receive a certain score on the exam to earn college credit; that score varies depending on the college. However, all public colleges in Illinois must give students credit if they score a 3 or higher on the exam. For more information, go to www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy. Earning college credit through the AP exam offers students the opportunity to save money by not needing to pay for that course in college. Exposure to AP exams also allows students to become familiar with high-stakes, college-level assessments. The more comfortable and confident students become with those types of tests, the better they typically perform.

About 800 students are enrolled in one or more of the 23 AP courses offered this year at Addison Trail. AP courses help students become accustomed to the workload and rigor of college classes, which often facilitates an easier transition to post-secondary education. Doing well in AP courses also will open the door for students to be admitted to more selective colleges and to receive scholarships.

For more information about AP exams and test registration at Addison Trail, contact Guidance Counselor Dana Marine at 630-628-3373 or DMarine@dupage88.net. General information about the AP program can be found at https://apstudent.collegeboard.org.