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More than 20,000 students across the country have already registered for free online preparation courses for Advanced Placement exams developed by faculty from the Tennessee Board of Regents, and enrollment continues.

The AP exam prep courses in English and statistics are available for registration at TBR.edu/APexamPrep. The courses will better prepare high school students in Tennessee and around the globe for college placement exams and can benefit other learners in need of tutorial support or a refresher. 

High school teachers may also use the course materials to augment their classroom curriculum. Grades achieved in college prep courses, such as AP, play an important role in the college admissions acceptance process, and could count toward college credit.

Developed by Tennessee Board of Regents community college and university faculty, these self-paced courses, Preparing for the AP English Language and Composition Exam and Preparing for the AP Statistics Exam, are offered online through the edX, the nonprofit online learning destination founded by Harvard and MIT, which provides free 24/7 access to the course content.

The courses begin in October, and students can enroll now.

The AP English exam prep course is designed to help students become skilled readers and writers. Using a variety of composition forms (narrative, expository, analytical and argumentative essays), students learn how to organize, research, analyze and write effective papers that reflect their own writing style while becoming aware of the writing styles of others. No prerequisites are required.

The AP statistics exam preparation course will introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes, including exploring data, sampling and experimentation, anticipating patterns, and statistical inference. A second-year course in algebra plus mathematical maturity and quantitative reasoning ability are prerequisites for the course.

Learners interested in receiving a verified credential upon course completion can pursue an optional Certificate of Achievement for a $25 fee. The certificate does not award college credit, but instead validates successful course completion and verifies a student’s identity.  High school students could include the certificate in a college application, and others may use it for career advancement. Tuition remains free for anyone who registers.

Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of these offerings, and no endorsement should be construed.

Students can create an account and register for the AP exam preparation courses on the edX.org site. A link is available atTBR.edu/APexamPrep.

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