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<p>AP is actually intended to allow students to show that they have completed university level work in high school. Flawed as many of the AP tests are, the universities presumably accept them because it is more convenient than administering their own placement tests in English, math, etc. to new freshmen. Public universities may also be generous with generic credits in order to encourage in-state students to graduate as quickly as possible.</p>
<p>Of course, if AP / pre-AP / honors courses in high school are bad, you probably won’t like what goes on in regular non-honors courses at non-elite high schools.</p>