The Advanced Placement (AP) program was created by College Board so that high achieving, college-bound high schoolers can take college level classes at their high schools and potentially obtain college credit for taking these classes.
AP courses available include Art History, Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Chinese Language and Culture, Comparative Government and Politics, Computer Science A, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Environmental Science, European History, French Language and Culture, German Language and Culture, Human Geography, Italian Language and Culture, Japanese Language and Culture, Latin, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Music Theory, Physics B, Physics C, Psychology, Spanish Literature and Culture, Statistics, Studio Art, U.S. Government and Politics, U.S. History, World History.
However, most high schools offer a much smaller selection of AP classes than all of those listed above.
Upon completion of a high school AP course, students take an AP test to evaluate whether or not they learned a sufficient amount to receive college credit for the course. The test is scored on a one to five scale, with scores of three or above considered as passing. Colleges and universities have different score requirements for whether or not they will give credit to students for AP courses.
Here is a list of Texas colleges and universities, with links to Web pages about their AP credit policies and score requirements