Setting Expectations for College-Level Courses
The AP® Course Audit was created at the request of the College Board, who sought a means to provide teachers and administrators with clear guidelines on the curricular and resource requirements for AP courses.
Schools wishing to label a course "AP" on student transcripts must receive permission from the College Board by having each course syllabus authorized through the AP Course Audit. AP course authorization is an annual process that began with courses taught in the 2007-08 academic year. Once a course has been authorized, schools can renew authorization in subsequent years.
As always, schools develop their own curricula for courses labeled "AP." The AP Course Audit simply specifies a set of expectations established by the AP Program for entry-level, post-secondary courses. Courses that meet or exceed these expectations are authorized to use the "AP" designation on student transcripts.