Online course work has become a popular mechanism for students to launch themselves into a more competitive landscape. There are oodles of online providers, some have been around for many years, some are just popping their heads into the game.
The reasons for online course work are plentiful. They range from schedule conflicts, their school may not offer the courses they wish to take, or the college/university they hope to attend might require the course (some universities overseas might have very specific requirements). Students might be seriously involved in sport or artistic endeavors. Or, a student might just have a keen interest in a course that isn’t offered at the school or it isn’t on the rotation for that year.
There are a variety of online schools available to students, some are synchronous, some are asynchronous. Students have to determine what suits their schedule best. Depending on the student’s high school scheduling platform (block schedule vs the traditional 8 classes a day schedule) – sometimes students can just work on an online course during the day.
As far as an AP course is concerned- the culmination of the course is an exam. What these platforms do not tell you as a parent or a student, you are essentially on your own to find a place to take the test. If you are a homeschooled student, or attending a school, if you are lucky, your home school might just be offering the AP exam. If not, you will have to pound the pavement and find a school that offers the exam, call the counseling office and see if they allow you to sit the exam (if the school was smart, they would ask for a fee, however, I digress). Who is the best person to ‘lobby’ for a seat in an AP exam? While I know Independent Educational Consultants work miracles, the parent, in this case, is the best person to sort this out.
Be aware that every school has a deadline for the registration of AP exams, generally in the Fall. There is no wiggle room for add ons. The AP Coordinator at the school is obligated to register the students by a specific date.
Word to the wise, if you are hoping to take an AP course online with an online provider, find out in advance of the course (hopefully the previous year) where you can sit the exam, then register for the online course. This way, you will have your ducks in a row.