Increasing numbers of high school students are pursuing Advanced Placement classes to get a head start on their college education, and to also avoid the costly tuition fees of taking those same classes at a university. The Wall Street Journal reports that "about 90% of U.S. colleges and universities award college credit to high-school students who pass the program's rigorous subject-matter tests."

Even though the opportunity to take these classes helps to advance students' educations, some states, including New York, Michigan, Ohio, and Maryland, are considering cutting their AP course offerings. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that many public schools are facing budget cuts and simply cannot afford to keep classes which are often smaller than average.

In light of these cuts, many students are turning to online schools which are all able to offer a more expansive and specialized list of AP classes. "The College Board says there isn't any significant difference in average test scores between students from traditional versus online classrooms."