Advanced Placement AP
The Jackson County School System is committed to providing a rigorous educational curriculum to its student. A part of that curriculum is Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings at the high school level.
Advanced Placement courses are offered at both East Jackson High School and Jackson County High School, both of which have earned the honor of AP Honor Schools.
On Feb. 28, 2025, it was announced that East Jackson High School was named an AP Humanities School, AP Humanities Achievement School, AP STEM School and an AP STEM Achievement School. Jackson County High School was named an AP Expansion School, AP Honor School with Distinction and an AP STEM School.
WHAT IS ADVANCED PLACEMENT?
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program, a curriculum service through the College Board, offers college-level courses and exams that you can take in high school.
- Courses reflect what is taught in top introductory college courses.
- Nearly all colleges and universities in the United States grant credit and placement for qualifying AP scores. Use the Credit Policies Search Tool from the College Board to find colleges you’re interested in and see what you could earn with AP.
- Students take AP Exams at the end of the course, measuring their mastery of college-level work.
- A score of 3 or higher on an AP exam can typically earn students college credit and/or placement into advanced courses in college.
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Why take AP courses? Taking AP courses in high school could give you an advantage in college by letting you: ▶ Earn College Credit
▶ Get a Head Start
▶ Stand Out to Colleges
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AP Enrollment and Exams
What Level of Committment is Necessary When Taking an AP course?
By taking an AP Course at EJCHS, Empower, or JCHS, you are committing to the following:
- The time required to be successful in the course(s). AP courses require college level time commitments.
- Summer work which is often a requirement.
- Seeking additional assistance from your AP teacher when you need assistance.
- Taking the AP exam in May.
How/When Can I Enroll into AP Courses?
The enrollment process for Advanced Placement courses begins during the Fall semester. Students can be recommended by teachers for AP courses during the course request process; however, students may elect to register for an AP course as well.
Do AP courses have prerequisites?
Some AP classes have recommended courses you should take first—check the specific course page on the College Board website or refer to the JCSS Course Sequence on the JCSS Program of Study for that information.
Your school may also have requirements for specific AP courses. Talk to your school counselor, school AP Coordinator, or a teacher to find out more.
What are AP Exams?
AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on set dates in May each year.
Exams are typically 2–3 hours and include:
- Multiple-choice questions
- Free-response items such as essays, problem solving, document-based questions and oral response
What does my AP Score mean?
Your AP score shows how well you did on the AP Exam. It's also a measure of your achievement in your college-level AP course. This score will be used by colleges and universities to determine if they will grant you credit for what you've already learned, or allow you to skip the equivalent course once you get to college (this is known as advanced placement).
Your score is a weighted combination of your scores on the multiple-choice section and on the free-response section. The final score is reported on a 5-point scale as follows:
5 = extremely well qualified
4 = well qualified
3 = qualified
2 = possibly qualified
1 = no recommendation
"Qualified" means that you have proven yourself capable of doing the work of an introductory-level course in a particular subject at college. Many colleges and universities grant credit and placement for scores of 3, 4 or 5; however, each college decides which scores it will accept. To see college policies for AP scores, visit the AP Credit Policy Search.
In order to be considered for credit or placement, you must send your official AP score report to the college you're planning to attend.
Contact a school counselor for more information about AP or the courses offered at your child’s high school.