隨著全球化與升學競爭的加劇，愈來愈多台灣高中生選擇修讀 AP 課程，作為申請美國及其他國際大學的重要利器。

但 AP 課程究竟是什麼？這篇文章將化身為你的全方位指南，從核心定義到實用選課策略，帶你徹底了解AP課程，幫助你做出最聰明的決定！

 

AP課程是什麼？打破你對「先修」的想像

AP，全名是 「Advanced Placement」 ，由美國大學理事會（College Board）主辦，是一套專為學有餘力的高中生設計的美國大學先修課程，難度相當於大一、大二課程。它的核心精神在於「挑戰」，讓高中生能提前接觸並適應大學程度的嚴謹學術內容。

AP課程的特色在於：

• 進階學術挑戰：課程內容相當於大學初階課程。
• 學分認證：若考試成績達標（通常是3分及以上，滿分為5分），許多大學會提供學分或免修相關課程
• 多樣選擇：提供多領域的科目，涵蓋科學、人文、藝術、數學及語言等。

 

AP 課程要去哪裡上？有哪些科目？

這裡有一個重要觀念需要澄清：「修讀 AP 課程」和「參加 AP 考試」是兩件可以分開的事。學生可以選擇在學校修課，由老師引導；也可以自學，然後自行報名參加 AP 考試。當然，在學校修課能獲得系統性的教學與資源，準備起來會相對輕鬆。

在台灣，大部分的美國學校或是私立高中國際部幾乎都有開設 AP 課程，但科目較為有限，多以語言、經濟、歷史、自然學科等科目為主。 而完整的 AP 含括 34 個科目，表列如下：

Subject	科目
AP Art History	AP 藝術歷史
AP Biology	AP 生物
AP Calculus AB	AP 微積分 AB
AP Calculus BC	AP 微積分 BC
AP Chemistry	AP 化學
AP Chinese Language and Culture​	AP 中文
AP Computer Science A	AP 電腦科學 A
AP Computer Science Principles	AP 電腦科學理論
AP English Language and Composition	AP 英文語言
AP English Literature and Composition	AP 英文文學
AP Environmental Science	AP 環境科學
AP European History ​	AP 歐洲歷史
AP French Language and Culture	AP 法文
AP German Language and Culture​	AP 德文
AP Government and Politics: Comparative	AP 比較政治學
AP Government and Politics: United States	AP 美國政府
AP Human Geography	AP 人文地理
AP Italian Language and Culture​	AP 義大利文
AP Japanese Language and Culture	AP 日文
AP Latin	AP 拉丁文
AP Macroeconomics​	AP 總體經濟學
AP Microeconomics	AP 個體經濟學
AP Music Theory	AP 音樂理論
AP Physics 1	AP 物理1
AP Physics 2	AP 物理2
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism​	AP 物理C：電磁學
AP Physics C: Mechanics	AP 物理C：力學
AP Research (Second part of the AP Capstone program)	AP 研究
AP Seminar (First part of the AP Capstone program)	AP 研討
AP Statistics	AP 統計學
AP Spanish Language and Culture	AP 西班牙文語言
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	AP 西班牙文文學
AP Studio Art: 2-D Design	AP 2D藝術設計
AP Studio Art: 3-D Design	AP 3D藝術設計
AP Studio Art: Drawing	AP 繪畫
AP United States History	AP 美國歷史
AP World History	AP 世界歷史

 

修習AP課程的4大核心優勢

投入時間與精力挑戰AP課程，能帶來哪些實質上的幫助？我們歸納出以下4大優勢：

1. 大學申請的強力催化劑

這或許是學生最關心的重點。提升申請美國、加拿大、英國、澳洲等大學的競爭力！一份包含優異AP成績的成績單，能向招生官強烈傳遞一個訊息：「我具備好奇心、挑戰精神，並且已經準備好迎接大學的學術強度。」 這不僅是「加分」，更是展現你與眾不同學術潛力的「證明」。

2. 換取大學學分，省時又省錢

這是最直接的經濟效益。一旦AP考試取得高分（通常是4分或5分），你就可以用它來抵免大學的相關必修課程。試想，一門AP微積分BC的5分成績，可能讓你直接跳過大學一年的微積分課程，不僅省下數千美元的學費，更贏得了寶貴的時間，讓你可以提前畢業、攻讀雙主修或投入更進階的研究。

（小提醒：各大學的抵免政策不盡相同，務必提前上目標學校的官網查詢。）

3. 提前探索大學興趣，避免走冤枉路

高中階段對未來主修感到迷茫是很正常的。AP課程提供了絕佳的「試錯」機會。你可以透過AP的學科課程，探索自己是否對該領域真正感興趣，從而更精準地定位大學的主修方向。

4. 提前適應大學課業壓力，贏在起跑點

AP課程的深度與要求，可以與大學通識或基礎課程相比。透過修讀AP，你將提前訓練批判性思考、學術寫作、獨立研究與時間管理等關鍵能力。代表當你真正踏入大學校園時，能比同儕更快適應，減輕不少銜接上的痛苦。

 

修讀AP前必須知道的3個現實面

了解AP課程的優勢之後，其實也伴隨著挑戰。在決定投入前，請務必客觀評估！

1. 沉重的課業壓力

AP課程的閱讀量、寫作要求與實驗複雜度遠高於普通高中課程。你必須做好心理準備，投入大量課後時間進行深度學習。

2. 時間管理的考驗

如何同時兼顧多門AP課程、學校正常課業、社團活動、標準化考試（如SAT/ACT）和一絲絲的社交生活，將是對你時間管理能力的巨大挑戰。

3. 分數的雙面刃

優秀的AP成績能為申請錦上添花，但若成績不理想（特別是低於3分），反而可能讓招生官覺得你準備不足。因此，選擇的策略是很重要的：質量遠重於數量。與其貪多修了5門卻只拿到平庸的成績，不如集中精力專注在2-3門你真正擅長且相關的科目，並努力取得好分數。

 

該如何選擇適合的 AP 課程？實用選課策略 4 步驟

面對這樣多的AP學科，該如何選？超越教育建議以下4個步驟，幫你找到最適合的組合：

步驟1：評估自身興趣與學術強項

你是擅長數理邏輯的「理科腦」，還是熱愛分析文史的「文科腦」？誠實面對自己的興趣與優勢，是成功的第一步。選擇喜歡且擅長的科目，學習過程會更有動力。

步驟2：連結未來可能的大學主修方向

目標工程/理學院： 優先考慮 AP微積分（Calculus BC）、AP物理（Physics C）、AP化學。

目標商學院/經濟相關： AP微積分、AP統計學、AP宏觀/微觀經濟學 是絕佳選擇。

目標人文/社會科學院： 可以考慮 AP美國歷史/世界歷史、AP心理學、AP英文語言與寫作。

步驟3：務實查詢目標大學的抵免政策

花時間研究你心儀大學的官方網站，了解他們對AP成績的具體要求。這能幫助你更有目標的準備考試，讓努力都發揮到最大價值。

步驟4：循序漸進，量力而為

如果你是AP新手，建議從1-2門公認難度相對較低或與你興趣高度相關的課程開始（例如：AP心理學、AP環境科學）。第二年再根據適應情況，逐步增加挑戰性更高的課程。切記，維持優秀的GPA永遠比勉強修讀大量AP課程卻拉低總成績來得重要。

 

AP 考試關鍵資訊

考試時間是每年5月舉行，於前一年的秋季開放報名。考試成績採用5分制：

• 5分： 極度符合資格
• 4分： 非常符合資格
• 3分： 符合資格
• 2分： 可能符合資格
• 1分： 不符合資格

一般來說，AP考試的3分被視為及格分數，但許多頂尖大學通常要求4分或5分，才會允許學生獲得大學學分或免修相關課程。若你在完成AP課程後參加考試並取得不錯的成績（通常是3分以上，滿分5分），許多大學會根據你的成績給予學分或讓你免修相應的大學課程。

 

AP課程與考試的關係：

• 只修AP課程→不參加考試→AP課程在校成績列入GPA
• 不修或有修AP課程→備考參加AP考試 → AP考試成績由College Board統一評分

 

超越教育的觀點

在美國大學申請競爭中，計劃性地選修AP課程是展示學術實力的關鍵策略。這不僅能顯示你願意挑戰自我的勇氣，還能在過程中磨練學術能力、時間管理技巧與獨立思考，為大學學業做好充分準備。值得注意的是，大學審核申請時，更注重的是學生學業的深度與廣度，而非僅僅看重考試分數。因此，將AP課程的挑戰性融入你的學術背景，成為你的核心亮點，尤其重要。即便最終的AP考試分數未達理想，選修這些課程本身就能反映你的學習動機與潛力。

理想的情況是，學術背景與考試分數互相輔佐，達到優秀的學業成績與挑戰性課程的平衡，這樣才能最大化提升你的競爭力。例如，加州大學系統在申請審核過程中，並不將AP考試成績作為錄取決策的依據，而是將 AP 課程的高中成績（用於計算加權 UC GPA）納入評估。AP考試成績主要用於錄取後的學分抵免及分班安排，對錄取本身並不產生直接影響。這顯示出，選修 AP 課程的學術深度遠比單純的考試分數更為關鍵。

 

常見問題與迷思

Q1: AP課程和IB課程有什麼主要區別？

A1: 兩者都是高階課程，但體系不同。AP是「單科深度強化」，學生可以自由選擇任意數量和組合的科目。IB則是「兩年制的完整教育文憑課程」，有固定的核心要求（如知識理論、拓展論文等），學生需在六個學科組中各選一門課，強調全人教育。

Q2:AP 成績是否比 GPA 更重要？

Q2:在大學申請中，AP成績能夠展示你承擔學術挑戰的能力，但GPA仍然是最重要的指標之一。AP課程可以作為GPA的補充，讓你顯得更加全面。

Q3: 台灣的學生可以在哪裡修讀AP課程？

A3: 主要管道包括：各地的美國學校、國際學校、設有雙語部的公立/私立高中。如果學校沒有開課，學生也可以透過線上資源（如可汗學院）或補習班進行自學。

 

※本文由超越教育有限公司原創，版權所有。歡迎分享並註明出處與本處連結。我們樂於分享資訊，讓更多想法得以交流。請勿未經授權將全文轉載或改寫發布，感謝您的尊重與支持！※

What Are AP Courses? A Complete Guide to Advantages, Challenges, and Course Selection Strategies to Boost Your College Application!

 

With the intensification of globalization and academic competition, more and more high school students in Taiwan are choosing to take AP courses as an important tool for applying to American and other international universities.

But what exactly are AP courses? This article will serve as your comprehensive guide, from the core definition to practical course selection strategies, to give you a thorough understanding of AP courses and help you make the smartest decision!

 

What Are AP Courses? Redefining Your Idea of “Advanced Placement”

 

AP, short for **”Advanced Placement”**, is administered by the College Board. It is a set of US college-level courses designed for high school students who have mastered core subjects and wish to pursue further challenges. The difficulty is equivalent to introductory college-level courses. Its core spirit lies in **”challenge,”** allowing high school students to be exposed to and adapt to rigorous academic content at the college level in advance.

 

The characteristics of AP courses include:

*   Advanced Academic Challenge:*Course content is equivalent to introductory college courses.

*   Credit Recognition: If exam scores meet the standard (usually a score of 3 or above, out of 5), many universities offer credit or allow students to skip related introductory courses.

*   Diverse Choices:*Offers a wide range of subjects across sciences, humanities, arts, mathematics, and languages.

 

Where Can You Take AP Courses? What Subjects Are Offered?

 

An important concept needs clarification here: **”Taking an AP course”** and **”taking an AP exam”** are two things that can be done separately. Students can choose to take the course at school, guided by a teacher; or they can self-study and register for the AP exam on their own. Of course, taking the course at school provides systematic teaching and resources, making preparation relatively easier.

 

In Taiwan, most American schools or private high schools with international divisions offer AP courses, but the subjects are somewhat limited, often focusing on languages, economics, history, natural sciences, etc. The complete AP program encompasses **34 subjects**, listed below:

 

Subject	科目
AP Art History	AP 藝術歷史
AP Biology	AP 生物
AP Calculus AB	AP 微積分 AB
AP Calculus BC	AP 微積分 BC
AP Chemistry	AP 化學
AP Chinese Language and Culture​	AP 中文
AP Computer Science A	AP 電腦科學 A
AP Computer Science Principles	AP 電腦科學理論
AP English Language and Composition	AP 英文語言
AP English Literature and Composition	AP 英文文學
AP Environmental Science	AP 環境科學
AP European History ​	AP 歐洲歷史
AP French Language and Culture	AP 法文
AP German Language and Culture​	AP 德文
AP Government and Politics: Comparative	AP 比較政治學
AP Government and Politics: United States	AP 美國政府
AP Human Geography	AP 人文地理
AP Italian Language and Culture​	AP 義大利文
AP Japanese Language and Culture	AP 日文
AP Latin	AP 拉丁文
AP Macroeconomics​	AP 總體經濟學
AP Microeconomics	AP 個體經濟學
AP Music Theory	AP 音樂理論
AP Physics 1	AP 物理1
AP Physics 2	AP 物理2
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism​	AP 物理C：電磁學
AP Physics C: Mechanics	AP 物理C：力學
AP Research (Second part of the AP Capstone program)	AP 研究
AP Seminar (First part of the AP Capstone program)	AP 研討
AP Statistics	AP 統計學
AP Spanish Language and Culture	AP 西班牙文語言
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	AP 西班牙文文學
AP Studio Art: 2-D Design	AP 2D藝術設計
AP Studio Art: 3-D Design	AP 3D藝術設計
AP Studio Art: Drawing	AP 繪畫
AP United States History	AP 美國歷史
AP World History	AP 世界歷史

 

4 Core Advantages of Taking AP Courses

 

What substantial benefits can investing time and effort in challenging AP courses bring? We summarize the following 4 major advantages:

 

1. A Powerful Catalyst for College Applications

This is perhaps the point students care about most. It enhances competitiveness when applying to universities in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and more! A transcript with excellent AP scores strongly conveys a message to admissions officers: “I possess curiosity, a spirit of challenge, and am ready for the academic rigor of university.” This is not just “adding points”; it’s “proof” that demonstrates your unique academic potential.

 

2. Earn College Credit, Save Time and Money

This is the most direct economic benefit. If you achieve a high score on an AP exam (usually a 4 or 5), you can use it to waive related required courses in college. Imagine, a score of 5 on AP Calculus BC might allow you to skip a full year of college calculus, saving you thousands of dollars in tuition and, more importantly, giving you valuable time to graduate early, pursue a double major, or engage in more advanced research.

(Reminder: Credit policies vary by university. Be sure to check the official websites of your target schools in advance.)

 

3. Explore College Interests Early, Avoid Detours

Feeling uncertain about your future major in high school is very normal. AP courses provide an excellent opportunity to “test the waters.” You can explore whether you are truly interested in a field through its AP course, thereby more accurately determining your college major direction.

 

4. Adapt to College Academic Pressure Early, Get a Head Start

The depth and requirements of AP courses are comparable to college general education or introductory courses. By taking APs, you will train critical thinking, academic writing, independent research, and time management skills in advance. This means that when you truly step onto a college campus, you can adapt faster than your peers, reducing the pain of transition.

 

3 Realistic Aspects You Must Know Before Taking AP Courses

 

After understanding the advantages of AP courses, it’s important to know they also come with challenges. Before deciding to commit, be sure to evaluate objectively!

 

1. Heavy Academic Pressure

The reading load, writing requirements, and complexity of labs in AP courses are far higher than in regular high school courses. You must be mentally prepared to invest a significant amount of after-school time in deep learning.

 

2. The Test of Time Management

Juggling multiple AP courses, regular schoolwork, club activities, standardized tests (like the SAT/ACT), and a sliver of social life will be a huge test of your time management skills.

 

3. The Double-Edged Sword of Scores

Excellent AP scores can enhance your application, but less-than-ideal scores (especially below 3) might lead admissions officers to believe you were not well-prepared. Therefore, your selection strategy is crucial: **quality is far more important than quantity**. Instead of greedily taking 5 courses and achieving mediocre grades, it’s better to focus your energy on 2-3 subjects you are truly good at and relevant to, and strive for good scores.

 

How to Choose Suitable AP Courses? 4-Step Practical Course Selection Strategy

 

Faced with so many AP subjects, how should you choose? Beyond Education recommends the following 4 steps to help you find the most suitable combination:

 

Step 1: Assess Your Interests and Academic Strengths

Are you a “STEM brain” good at math and logic, or a “humanities brain” passionate about analyzing history and literature? Being honest about your interests and strengths is the first step to success. Choosing subjects you like and are good at will make the learning process more motivating.

 

Step 2: Connect to Your Potential College Major Direction

*   Targeting Engineering/Science Schools:** Prioritize **AP Calculus (BC), AP Physics (C), AP Chemistry.

*   Targeting Business School/Economics:** **AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Macroeconomics/Microeconomics** are excellent choices.

*   Targeting Humanities/Social Science Schools:** Consider **AP US History/World History, AP Psychology, AP English Language and Composition.

 

Step 3: Pragmatically Research the Credit Policies of Target Universities

Spend time researching the official websites of the universities you are interested in to understand their specific requirements for AP scores. This will help you prepare for the exams with clearer goals, maximizing the value of your efforts.

 

Step 4: Progress Step by Step, Act According to Your Ability

If you are new to AP, it is recommended to start with 1-2 courses that are considered relatively less difficult or highly relevant to your interests (e.g., AP Psychology, AP Environmental Science). In the following year, based on how well you’ve adapted, gradually add more challenging courses. Remember, **maintaining an excellent GPA is always more important than struggling with a large number of AP courses and lowering your overall grades.**

 

Key AP Exam Information

The exams are held annually in **May**, with registration opening the previous fall. Exam scores use a **5-point scale**:

*   **5:** Extremely well qualified

*   **4:** Very well qualified

*   **3:** Qualified

*   **2:** Possibly qualified

*   **1:** No recommendation

 

Generally, a score of **3** is considered a passing score, but many top-tier universities often require a **4 or 5** to grant college credit or course placement. If you take the AP exam after completing the course and achieve a good score (usually 3 or above), many colleges will grant you credit or allow you to skip the corresponding college course based on your score.

 

The Relationship Between AP Courses and Exams:

*   Take only the AP course → Do not take the exam → AP course grade is included in GPA

*   Do not take the course / Take the AP course → Prepare for and take the AP exam → AP exam score is graded by the College Board

 

The Perspective of Beyond Education

In the competitive landscape of US college applications, strategically selecting AP courses is a key tactic to demonstrate academic strength. This not only shows your courage to challenge yourself but also hones your academic abilities, time management skills, and independent thinking during the process, fully preparing you for college studies. It is worth noting that when reviewing applications, universities pay more attention to the **depth and breadth of a student’s academic record** rather than just focusing on exam scores. Therefore, integrating the challenge of AP courses into your academic profile to become a core highlight is particularly important. Even if the final AP exam scores are not ideal, the act of taking these courses itself reflects your learning motivation and potential.

The ideal scenario is for academic background and exam scores to complement each other, achieving a balance between excellent academic grades and challenging coursework, thereby maximizing your competitiveness. For example, the **University of California system does not consider AP exam scores in its admission decisions**, but it does incorporate grades from AP courses (used to calculate the weighted UC GPA) into its evaluation. AP exam scores are primarily used for credit placement and course placement *after* admission; they do not directly impact the admission decision itself. This shows that the **academic depth demonstrated by taking AP courses is far more critical than the exam scores alone.**

 

Frequently Asked Questions and Misconceptions

 

Q1: What is the main difference between AP and IB programs?

A1: Both are advanced programs, but they have different systems. AP is about **”single-subject depth and reinforcement”**; students can freely choose any number and combination of subjects. IB is a “two-year comprehensive educational diploma program” with fixed core requirements (like Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, etc.). Students must choose one course from each of the six subject groups, emphasizing a holistic education.

 

Q2: Are AP scores more important than GPA?

A2: In college applications, AP scores can demonstrate your ability to handle academic challenges, but GPA remains one of the most important indicators. AP courses can supplement your GPA, making you appear more well-rounded.

 

Q3: Where can students in Taiwan take AP courses?

A3:Main avenues include: local American schools, international schools, and public/private high schools with bilingual divisions. If the school does not offer courses, students can also self-study through online resources (like Khan Academy) or cram schools.