America is in the midst of a debate on how to make college affordable for future generations of students. One simple and inexpensive way to reduce the cost of college would be to award degrees in three years rather than four by ensuring institutions of higher education do not unfairly limit credit for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) work. The author examined the AP policies of the top 102 universities and top 51 colleges according to "U.S. News and World Report" and discovered that the vast majority of the nation's top schools restricted students from applying AP coursework toward degree credits. Policymakers are encouraged to consider enacting a law requiring any public or private college or university that enrolls students who receive federal aid or subsidized loans grant course credit for scores of 3 on any AP exam, limiting AP and IB credit caps, and making AP exams free. Expanding credit for the successful completion of AP and IB coursework would be a huge win for America's students, as well as the nation's colleges and universities.