Why Take AP Courses?

Advanced Placement Courses

What is Advanced Placement (AP)?

• AP classes offer college-level curriculum to high school students!
•  In May, you will take an AP test and if you score a 3 or higher (on a 5 point scale), you can earn FREE college credit!!!
• In our Federal Way Public Schools, the AP test is FREE and is taken during the school day.
• At Decatur, you can begin taking AP in 9th grade – this is much earlier than other schools.

Why take AP?

• Develop college-level academic skills!
• Colleges will see you as having more college potential! About 85% of colleges report that they look to see whether or not a student has taken an AP course!
• Save money! If you earn college credit, this will save you (or your family) money in the future!
• It’s FREE!

AP at Decatur:

• You have the chance to take an AP class right away in 9th grade: AP Human Geography
• Starting in 10th grade, your options for AP classes increase significantly!
• Decatur currently offers approximately 20 different AP classes!
• Students also have the opportunity to earn the AP Capstone Diploma, which is more rigorous than the normal high school diploma - you will need to take AP Spanish to earn this.

For more information, please contact our AP Coordinators, Mrs. Choi - mchoi@fwps.org or Mr. Harwood - dharwood@fwps.org.

 AP Classes at Decatur for 2024-2025