While AP classes aren't necessarily college level (depends upon your definition of college level, however), in many places, they are the best option for a bright HS kid. Community colleges are good in some areas of the country, but not where I live.
I agree with this. The problems with DE are:
- Not all community colleges are created equal and I have heard about some awful ones (not where I live, though) and in such cases, AP provides a standardized curriculum and exam.
- DE grades go into the permanent college transcript and may not be helpful for getting future financial aid for a student with a not-so-stellar grade. I have heard of students stuck with bad teachers in DE classes scrambling to drop their classes within the first 2 sessions so as to not affect their transcript.
- DE or AP choice also depends on what the colleges that the student is applying to require for admissions.
Though we are not there yet, I like to know what options are available out there. So, thanks for all the inputs.
