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Understanding Dual Credit & AP

Dual Credit (DC) vs Advanced Placement (AP) - What's The Difference?

  • Dual Credit (DC) classes are college courses taught by adjunct college professors that award students both the college credit and an aligned high school credit. If these classes are taught on the high school campus, then the teacher is an approved adjunct professor for the college or university that is partnered with the school district. The college credits earned in these course transfer well in-state at the public colleges and universities.
  • Advanced Placement (AP) classes, offered through College Board, are rigorous high school courses designed to give students an opportunity to earn college credits by passing a rigorous exam given at the end of the school year. AP scores transfer better to out-of-state and private universities. 
  • Some DC and AP course are "stacked" or taught as a single class, especially if they award the same or similar credit and follow the same or similar curriculum. Typically, the curriculum is the AP curriculum as it is more rigorous than the standard DC curriculum.