Khan Academy as AP on Homeschool Transcripts? An Audit Is Required

Sad Fact: Khan Academy's 'AP' courses aren't certified without passing a College Board audit.

Khan Academy has been my homeschooling sidekick for years. So, when I stumbled upon their "AP" classes, I couldn’t help but wonder:

Mia

Can I count Khan Academy’s AP Biology as the 'AP Biology' for my son?

Sadly, the answer is a no-go. But don’t worry, there’s more to the story!

In this post, you'll learn why you can't claim an 'AP' course just by using Khan Academy, but also how you can still use Khan Academy as a study tool and successfully claim you took an 'AP' course.

The College Board has to approve AP courses first

AP® and Advanced Placement® are trademarks of the College Board® , so you can’t use those terms outside of their official guidelines.

These courses, created by the College Board®, let you dive into college-level material while you’re still in high school.  If you register for the AP® exam in the fall, you'll have the chance to take the exam in the spring. It’s scored from 1 to 5. Getting a 3 or higher can earn you college credit—though it depends on the college you apply to!

Many public universities and community colleges happily accept AP® credits as college credit, but super selective universities can be a bit pickier and often don’t.

The AP® Accreditation Process

For a course to be called an official AP course, it needs approval from the College Board.

This means that the lessons, content, and structure must follow their guidelines. Teachers, including homeschool teachers, submit their course plans for approval. Schools, including homeschools, must ensure that everything meets the College Board's requirements.

Once it’s approved, the school receives an authorization letter from the College Board. Without this approval, even if the course covers the same topics, it can’t be labeled as 'AP®.'

The Reason Khan Academy Doesn’t Qualify as an Official AP® Course

Even though Khan Academy has awesome resources that match AP course material, it’s not officially accredited as an AP® provider.

Here is email from Khan Academy support:

Khan Academy Support

So, while we provide learning resources that are aligned with many school needs, we are not a school, and there is no official enrollment for students online. We are not an accredited institution and do not provide teachers, transcripts, grades, or enrollment records.

Also, regarding our AP courses, our team confirmed that our Digital SAT course was developed in partnership with College but this is not the case for any of our AP courses. 

This means you can use Khan Academy to learn AP-level stuff, but you can’t list it as an 'AP®' course on your transcript. The good news? There’s a way to use Khan Academy and still label it as an 'AP® course.'

The Expensive Cost of AP Courses for Homeschoolers

Before we dive into using Khan Academy for AP®, let’s check out other ways homeschoolers can take AP® courses.

For many homeschool families, paying for official AP® courses can be tough. 

It typically costs $700 to $900 with providers like PA Homeschoolers or Blue Tent. Even the bargain option at UC Scout charges $400 per course.

With each additional course,  the tuition skyrockets. OMG!

Khan Academy for Homeschool AP® Courses

Here comes Khan Academy to save the day! Now, what Khan doesn’t offer is a teacher, grading, or the official authorization to use the AP® label. But as homeschoolers, can we handle that ourselves?

Good news—you can get AP® authorization on your own! Once you’ve got the authorization, you can proudly put 'AP® 'on your transcript. You’ve officially taken an AP® course! WOOHOO!

Khan Academy and College Board® : How They Align?

Khan Academy’s AP® resources match up really well with College Board® standards. Reddit users agree. After going through Khan Academy, you can grab an AP® test prep book on Amazon for about $25, and you’ll be ready to score a 5!

The Importance of the Official AP® Exam in College Applications

Homeschool students often hear that the AP® Exam is important for college admissions. Why? Colleges want an outside evaluation of a student’s academic ability.

Here’s the tricky part: colleges might not always value the score.

Colleges that may not focus on AP scores:

• Test-Blind Colleges: They won’t look at AP scores at all.

• Holistic Admission Colleges: They consider things like your background and where you’re from.

What’s a "holistic approach"?

It means they evaluate your entire story.

If you’re from a place like Afghanistan, where AP tests aren’t available, they don’t expect you to have AP scores. They evaluate everyone individually, based on their situation.

Don’t stress if you don’t have AP classes on your transcript.

For other colleges, though, AP exam scores matter. They offer a clear measure of your academic skills.

However, finding a high school that allows homeschoolers to take the AP exam can be tough. In 2022, I reached out to four different high schools in Colorado to ask about AP testing for homeschoolers. None of them allowed it.

North Carolina and Virginia are exceptions. These states passed laws that require public schools to let homeschoolers take AP tests and the PSAT at their schools.

AP® Course Alternatives for Homeschoolers

What can you do if you can’t find an AP® exam site? For homeschoolers, a great option is taking community college classes. These courses are often either free or discounted (around $200–$300), and since community colleges are regionally accredited, you can transfer those credits to any public colleges.

But what about the AP® exam? Homeschoolers once relied on SAT® Subject Tests, but those are history now. These days, homeschoolers are turning to CLEP® exams as a solid alternative. CLEP®, like SAT® and AP®, is a College Board® trademark. Seriously, how many '®' symbols have I used by now? The College Board® is the empire of standardized tests.

While CLEP® isn’t as widely recognized as AP®, and not all colleges accept it for credit, it’s still a valuable option for demonstrating your knowledge and earning potential college credit.  Taking a standardized test might feel a bit "un-homeschoolish," but sometimes you’ve got to suit up. You can find the exam site easily at CLEP Test Center Search.

Building a Strong Homeschool Transcript with AP® Courses

Adding AP® courses to your homeschool transcript is a great way to show colleges that you’ve taken on challenging work. Usually, you don’t need to include AP® or CLEP® exam scores on your transcript. It's because the College Board® sends those directly to colleges. But hey, it’s your transcript—you can include the scores if you want. You’re in charge.