The Advanced Placement
Program® and Pre-AP™
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What is the
Advanced Placement Program®?
It’s not only for College credit.
It’s not just an Examination.
It’s not just a Course.
It’s not only Honors.
It’s an International Program.
It’s a College Class!
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Advanced Placement Program®
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
College-level classes
Taught in high school
To rigorous national collegiate standards
Potentially earning college credit
Taught by qualified prepared faculty
School and programs audited nationally
34 courses offered in 19 subject areas
• In 2002, more than 900,000 students took
1.5 million AP® Examinations
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Advanced Placement Program®
• AP® teachers use college-level
materials and course descriptions
developed by a committee of college
faculty and AP teachers.
• AP Course Descriptions reflect courses
taught in colleges and universities
throughout the country.
• New yearly AP Audit of schools and
courses will accredit program
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AP® Examinations
• Administered in May
• Approximately three hours long
• Composed of multiple-choice and
free-response questions
• Free-response questions graded by college
professors and AP teachers in June
• AP Examination grades range from 1 to 5
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Students in the
Advanced Placement Program®
All students who are willing to accept the
challenge of a rigorous academic
curriculum should be considered for
admission to AP® courses.
The College Board encourages the
elimination of barriers that restrict access
to AP courses for students from ethnic,
racial, and socioeconomic groups that
have been traditionally underrepresented
in the AP Program. Schools should make
every effort to ensure that their AP
classes reflect the diversity of their
student populations.
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AP® Examinations
Interpretation of Grades
5 — Extremely Well Qualified
4 — Well Qualified
3 — Qualified
2 — Possibly Qualified
1 — No Recommendation
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Who Receives AP® Exam Grades?
• AP Grade Reports are sent in July to
students, high schools, and colleges
designated by individual students.
• High school principals receive a
special AP Grade Report in August
for all classes in which five or more
students completed the AP
Examination.
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Benefits of the AP® Program
for Students
• Most U.S. and international colleges
and universities have an AP policy
granting incoming students credit,
placement, or both, for qualifying AP
Examination grades (usually 3s to 5s).
• Students gain college-level analytical
and study skills.
• Students gain academic confidence.
Factors Influencing
College Admission Decisions
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80.4
90
80
Considerable Importance
70
Moderate Importance
36.8
1.2
0
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NACAC Bulletin – November 2001
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ty
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y
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6.6
3.2
6.4
8.2
11
26.5
n
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at
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10.8
16.3
n
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at
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om
9.8
20
17.4
20.3
30
10
37.8
42.6
32.6
30.5
34.6
44.8
35.9
40
40.6
50
44.2
51.7
PERCENTAGE
60
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According to a College Professor…
“Students who have taken AP French
are consistently the best students in
my classes. Whatever grade the
students
may
receive
on
the
examination, they have received
excellent preparation for advanced,
college-level study.”
John Lambeth
Associate Professor of French
Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA
Benefits of the AP® Program –
The Effect on Students
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Students who complete AP courses are
Better prepared academically.
More likely to choose challenging majors.
Likely to complete more college-level work.
Likely to perform significantly better than
students who did not take AP courses.
• More likely to exercise leadership.
• More likely to graduate with a double major.
• Twice as likely to go into advanced study.
•
•
•
•
Willingham & Morris, 1986; UT Study 1988
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FACTORS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
(Percent of Institutions reporting
“considerable importance in assigned factor)
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
82
83
80
78
81
79
84
78
80
76
78
Class Rank
42
40
39
36
34
32
32
34
31
35
33
Admissions Tests (SAT I,
ACT)
46
43
47
48
50
51
54
58
52
57
61
Grades/All Courses
39
37
41
38
41
44
42
43
45
50
54
Counselor Recommendation
22
20
19
17
20
16
18
16
17
16
17
Teacher Recommendation
21
19
18
19
19
16
14
14
16
14
18
Entrance Essay
14
17
21
20
18
19
19
20
20
19
23
Admissions Interview
12
12
15
13
11
11
9
11
11
10
9
Work/Extracurriculars
6
6
7
6
6
4
5
7
6
7
7
Ability to Pay
NA
NA
3
2
1
2
2
1
3
3
2
State Exit Exams
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
6
7
Subject Exams (SAT II)
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
6
7
Residency
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
2
2
Race/Ethnicity
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
3
Demonstrated Interest
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
7
Grades,
Classes
College
Prep
Sources: National Association of College Admissions Counselors Admission Trend Surveys, 1993-2003
As reported by National Association of Secondary School Principals
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According to an AP Student…
“AP has given me skills I need to succeed
in college.”
Dana Batista
AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Spanish
The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Students who participate in AP are
ultimately given the responsibility to
reason, analyze, and understand for
themselves. Such intellectual training
inevitably helps them succeed in college,
where these skills are essential.
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One AP Story!
• In mid-1990s, South Garland HS senior
Chris McClung enters Rice University with
52 credits from AP classes and enrolls as a
junior. He save his parents more than
$65,000 for the cost of 15 exams.
• In 2006, tuition for one year at University
of Notre Dame is $41,500. One three hour
class costs around $1,200.
• In 2011, the test costs $82.00 and can
earn up to 12 hours depending on the
subject.
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College Search for AP® Policies
From the collegeboard.com home page
• Under “College Quickfinder” enter
the name of college or university
• Click “Go”
• Select your college or university
• Click on “Tests”
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Responsibilities of AP® Students
• A willingness to actively engage with
sophisticated concepts
• A willingness to be judged by
rigorous, college-level standards
• A willingness to complete longer and
more complex nightly assignments
• A willingness to do summer reading
• A willingness to complete the
AP Examination in May
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Benefits of the AP® Program
• Provides a challenging academic program
for motivated students
• Provides a rewarding professional
development opportunity for teachers
• Demonstrates a school’s strong
commitment to high academic standards
• Enhances a school’s overall academic
reputation
• Rewards students with accelerated grade
points for participation
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According to an AP® Teacher
and Administrator…
“AP pushes me to discover new ways to improve
as a teacher.”
Michael Hicks
AP U.S. History Teacher
Abraham Lincoln High School, San Jose, California
“AP is by far the best college preparatory program
available. As the principal of a small school [of
about 225 students], I especially value the
teacher training, curricular materials, and data
analysis AP offers. These systems of support
ensure schools have the capacity to build
successful AP programs.”
Mike Brown
Principal
Prosper High School, Prosper, TX
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For Additional Information
About the AP® Program Visit
www.collegeboard.com/ap/students
• Understanding how AP works
• Benefits gained through involvement in AP
• Expanding student access to AP
• AP Preparation
• FAQs
• Speak with teachers and counselors