Registration for the Advanced Placement (AP) exams opened on Jan. 6 and will extend to March 27. Students taking AP classes have the opportunity to sign up for the corresponding exams to test their abilities and to gain college credit.

Enrolling in AP classes improves a student’s grade point average (GPA) and adds a more challenging course to their schedule. Most on-level core classes offer AP options, such as Human Geography, Chemistry, English Language and Composition, and Statistics.

College and Career Readiness counselor Amber Stephens supports students interested in taking AP courses, and said successful AP students have a statistically better chance of becoming successful in college.

“[The classes] provide some of the best preparation for college,” Stephens said.

Students have multiple reasons for taking AP exams. Junior Lauren Hernandez is taking the AP U.S. History exam to earn as much college credit in high school as possible.

“I can take less hours in college and therefore it will reduce my payments for each semester,” Hernandez said.

Any AP score conveys something to colleges: scores of two through five are interpreted as “possibly qualified” to “extremely well qualified” (according to the College Board website). English teacher Amanda Otten said AP tests provide a chance for students to showcase their hard work their knowledge through whatever score they make.

“There is always a chance of demonstrating emergency readiness for college,” Otten said