The Advanced Placement
Program® and Pre-AP™
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It’s not just an Examination.
It’s not just a Course.
It’s a Program.
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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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Advanced Placement Program®
• College-level courses taught in high
schools by high school teachers
• 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.
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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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Sample Free-Response Question
2002 AP® English Literature and
Composition Free-Response, Question #3
Morally ambiguous characters – characters whose
behavior discourages readers from identifying
them as purely evil or purely good – are at the
heart of many works of literature. Choose a
novel or play in which a morally ambiguous
character plays a pivotal role. Then write an
essay in which you explain how the character can
be viewed as morally ambiguous and why his or
her ambiguity is significant to the work as a
whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
Sample Free-Response Question
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2002 AP® English Literature and Composition
Free-Response, Question #3
Choose a work from the list below or another novel
or play of comparable literary merit.
The Age of Innocence
All the King’s Men
Anna Karenina
The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man
The Awakening
Billy Budd
Crime and Punishment
Faust
Fences
The Glass Menagerie
Great Expectations
The Great Gatsby
Heart of Darkness
Hedda Gabler
Henry V
The Mayor of Casterbridge
The Merchant of Venice
Mrs. Warren’s Profession
Père Goriot
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Plague
Poccho
The Scarlet Letter
Silas Marner
Sister Carrie
Sula
The Turn of the Screw
Typical American
Sample Free-Response Question
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2002 AP® Calculus AB/BC Examination
Free-Response, Question #2
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Sample Free-Response Question
2002 AP® U. S. History Examination
Free-Response DBQ, Question #1
“Reform movements in the United States
sought to expand democratic ideals.” Assess
the validity of this statement with specific
reference to the years 1825-1850.
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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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State AP® Fee Subsidy Policies
• Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
provide AP Exam fee subsidies for students
with financial need.
• Arkansas pays $50 toward the fee for the
third and all subsequent AP Exams taken by
any public school student in a given year.
• Oklahoma pays an AP Exam fee subsidy of
$25 per AP exam for any public school
student taking more than one exam.
• Texas pays an AP Exam fee subsidy of $30
for all public school students enrolled in an
AP course.
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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.
• Students gain college-level analytical
and study skills.
• Students gain academic confidence.
Factors Influencing
College Admission Decisions
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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
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Benefits of the AP® Program –
The Effect on Students
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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According to an AP Student…
“AP has given me skills I need to succeed
college.”
in
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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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 complete the
AP Examination in May
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Benefits of the AP® Program
for Schools
• 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
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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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What is Pre-AP™ ?
Pre-AP is a concerted effort to fulfill
the College Board’s mission to
champion educational excellence for
all students.
Achieving
Equity,
Emphasizing
Excellence
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Pre-AP™ Programs Should
• Facilitate student preparation and
exposure to skills necessary for
success in AP®;
• Be as inclusive as possible,
introducing crucial skills and
concepts to as many students as
possible;
• Build on the strengths and interests
of local students and teachers.
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Pre-AP™ Can Benefit From
• Early identification and clear
articulation of academic goals and
standards;
• Creation of AP Vertical Teams®
within specific subject areas;
• Strong administrative, parental, and
community support.
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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
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For Additional Information About
the AP® Program Contact
The College Board
Southwestern Regional Office
4330 South MoPac Expressway
Suite 200
Austin, TX 78735-6734
Tel: 512 891-8400
Fax: 512 891-8404