More Minn. students signing up, succeeding in AP classes

State education officials say more Minnesota high school students are taking Advanced Placement courses - and qualifying for college credit -- than ever before.

High school students who take so-called AP courses and pass an exam can receive credit at some colleges. That's paying off for students academically and financially, the Minnesota Department of Education said Thursday.

More than 17,000 Minnesota students took an AP test before graduating last year, a nearly 90 percent increase over the prior decade.

That earned students 126,000 college credits last year, the department said. At an average of $350 per credit hour, state officials figure that saved students and their families almost $44 million in college costs in 2013.

Minnesota spends $3.5 million each year on AP exams and on training for teachers to provide the college-level courses.

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