10 Online AP Courses for High School Students in 2024
If you are a high school student looking to get into the top universities in the U.S., chances are that you’re looking at taking a few AP classes. AP stands for Advanced Placement and they are courses that allow you to challenge yourself academically (as most course material is at an introductory college level), all the while providing you with college credits, provided you pass the exam.
Opting to do an AP exam will prepare you for higher education and signal to college admissions officers that you have the caliber to cope in an academically rigorous environment. If your school does not provide AP, there are numerous enrollment options and online courses that will help you cover the topics and prepare for the exam.
In this blog, we list 10 such online AP courses that high school students can opt for!
Cost: $900 for a semester-long course and $1,300 for a year-long course (these costs come under part-time enrollment at Laurel Springs)
Application Deadline: Rolling admission
Program Dates: Flexible; students can enroll year-round and set their schedule.
Eligibility:
Open to all high school students. Do note that you will have to provide official transcripts for your application.
Do note that you must be younger than 21 years of age at the time of application.
Laurel Springs School is a fully virtual, flexible online school for K-12 students. If you are interested in taking an AP Course, their part-time enrollment options allow you to pursue any of their 24 AP courses, which include courses in English, Fine Arts, Maths, Computer Science, Social studies, World Language, and more! You can view their full course offerings here!
Alternatively, you could also opt for their AP Capstone Diploma program, which would include an AP Seminar and AP Research. Laurel Springs also had a more involved online private school called ‘The Academy,’ which offers workshops, research projects, 1:1 college guidance from grade 6, and more! In the Academy, you can opt for more than 60 AP or honors courses and even look at their dual enrollment program.
2. Virtual High School (VHS Learning)
Cost:
$975 for a full-year AP course (33 weeks)
$975 for a full-credit self-paced AP course
$525 for a 0.5 credit self-paced AP course.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions for self-paced courses. Admission for regular AP courses is TBA.
Program Dates:
Self-paced one credit - You can opt to start anytime from Wednesdays in September to the first week of December.
Self-paced half credit - You can opt to start anytime from Wednesdays in September to the second week of January.
Regular Advanced Placement Courses - Offered on the regular semester schedule, starting from September.
Note. For both self-course options, the course must be completed by June 15.
Eligibility:
Open to high school students from grades 9–12.
However, there could be some course-based exceptions - some enroll freshmen and sophomores, while others only enroll juniors and seniors.
Virtual High School (VHS) Learning offers 29 AP courses that you can opt to take online at your own pace. Some courses include biology, calculus, human geography, statistics, physics C, and more! You can look here for the entire course offering. You can opt between half-credit courses or one-credit courses.
They also have an option for their regular advanced placement courses where you will attend class, with deadlines for coursework and assignments. However, there is a strict deadline for applying for this program, so we recommend you stick to the self-paced courses if you are already attending a local high school.
3. AP Art History at the Florida Virtual School (FLVS)
Cost: Free for residents of Florida. Normal fees are $375 per half-credit course.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Courses are offered on the basis of availability.
Program Dates: Self-paced
Eligibility:
Must be a legal resident of Florida.
For the high school courses, you must complete the course before you turn 21. Students in the Exceptional Student Education program are exempt from this.
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is an online school with the option to enroll in individual courses (FLVS Flex) over the year or attend their full-time public school. One such course that they offer is AP Art History for 1 credit, which spans anywhere from 32 to 36 weeks.
In this course, you will explore the intersection between art, culture, and history, as well as analyze art from different cultures and their relationships with each other. The examination questions how art is utilized as a medium of communication, which will allow you to engage critically with art and place it within a historical context.
Apart from this course, they offer over 20 other courses, such as AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology, and AP English Literature!
4. Pennsylvania Homeschoolers AP Online
Cost: Varies based on course and teacher. Courses seem to range from $600-$900.
Application Deadline: Each course has a different deadline.
Program Dates: Varies based on course.
Eligibility:
Must be in high school. PA Homeschoolers does mention that sophomores to seniors constitute the majority of their class, however they also accept freshmen.
Note. There might be course-specific requirements, so we recommend you check if you’re eligible for every course you’re interested in.
PA Homeschoolers has been offering virtual AP classes to homeschooled students for 27 years, and they offer a variety of AP courses ranging from Biology (with a lab), Calculus, Chemistry, Comparative Government and Politics, and more! Each course has multiple teachers, so you can find a teacher who suits your budget and your learning requirements. You can view the full course listing and course descriptions here.
Another benefit of PA Homeschoolers is that they have built a network of homeschoolers and provide ample opportunities for interaction, such as a weekend party in Pennsylvania. This is a great way to network and meet like-minded peers with whom you can collaborate on projects or extracurriculars.
5. Apex Learning Virtual School
Cost: $380 per semester or $700 for the full semester.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions.
Program Dates: Year-round enrollment.
Eligibility:
Open to all high school students.
There might be course-specific requirements.
Apex Learning Virtual School provides a range of AP courses, including AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Physics. These courses span for 18 weeks over a semester, and you will have access to live classes and personalized feedback when learning.
Do note that if you opt for an AP lab course, you will need to participate in hands-on labs. You will additionally have to work with a local school to schedule your AP exam. This is a great option if you’re looking for a course that isn’t currently offered by your school, as you can learn the core concepts online and utilize your school's facilities for labs and scheduling your exam!
6. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)
Cost: Varies from course to course but will range from $716 - $2,127. Financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: January 5, 2025
Program Dates: January 21, 2025
Eligibility:
Open to all high school students who have gained eligibility for CTY. To see their detailed requirements, you can check here!
Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth is a nonprofit academic center where they provide academic aid to students through advanced courses and personalized instruction. If you are interested in AP, they have a few offerings in their session-based courses, including AP Biology, Chemistry, English Language, and Composition (among others)!
These session-based courses are asynchronous, and you are responsible for completing coursework independently, but you will also have a typical school-like structure with assignment deadlines and mentor support. Another advantage of session-based courses is that they are centered on connecting you with like-minded students of the same academic caliber, where you can interact through discussion forums and meetings.
7. AP US History at the University of California (UC) System Scout Program
Cost: Free for California public school students.
Basic Plan: $29 per semester
Plus Plan: $49 per semester (this is for private and out-of-state students.)
On Demand: $399 per semester.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: Flexible start date with self-paced learning.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students.
The AP U.S. History course offered by the University of California System Scout Program is a 2-semester course that traces the historical development of the United States, starting from the colonial settlements and ending with contemporary American history. It covers key aspects such as the American Revolution, the Civil War, Industrialization and other topics that will help prepare you for the final AP U.S. History exam.
We recommend this course if you’re interested in historical analysis, as they focus on historical inquiry through essay questions, answer questions and even source analysis. Apart from the AP U.S. History Course, UC Scouts offers numerous other courses such as AP Environmental Science, AP World History, and AP Art History!
8. Brigham Young University Independent Study (BYU)
Cost: $309
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: Flexible start date with self-paced learning.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students.
Brigham Young University offers an independent student program where you can opt for virtual, self-paced AP Courses in subjects such as Biology, Calculus, Human Geography, World History and more! A key aspect of their courses are the interactive visuals, such as flashcards and built-in course assignments that aid with learning.
Additionally, BYU clearly maps the objectives for every unit, all in line with College Board standards. An added bonus is the personalized learning, where you will have assignments such as writing essays and creating presentations.
Cost: $250
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: Flexible start dates with self-paced learning
Eligibility: Open to high school students
The Keystone Schools offer semester-long or full yearAP courses such as, AP Psychology, AP U.S. Government, and AP Human Geography, on their interactive online platform for students looking for a flexible, self-paced learning environment.
Each course offers the required course materials, a course outline, and some courses even include a hands-on lab component! Do note that if you opt for a course such as Online Chemistry with Lab, you will not be within their learning management system, and will have alternate access.
10. The Potter’s School (TPS) - AP Courses
Cost: Varies based on course.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: Varies based on course.
Eligibility: Open to high school students. There could be subject specific requirements.
The Potter’s School (TPS) is a well-regarded online platform offering a variety of Advanced Placement (AP) courses such as A.P World History, Computer Science, Comparative Government and Politics and more. A huge advantage of TPS is that some of their AP courses will allow you to qualify for college credit without taking the exam!
Additionally, they also have many forms of attending, such as their flexible scheduling or recording only option, where you can enroll in a live class with full credit but either miss a number of classes or solely attend through recorded lectures.This is a good option if you need the guided experience of a class, but currently attend school or have other conflicting commitments.
Do note that certain courses do not have these options such as languages or discussion based courses.
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You can find the application link here.
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Image Source - Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Logo