William R. Boone High School
Advanced Placement Program
It is not just a test…
It is not just a course…
It is a program.
Agenda
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Welcome
AP
PSAT
AP Potential
Advanced Placement (AP)
Began in 1955
Run by The College Board Offers college level courses to high school students
Reasons Why Students Take AP
1. Higher GPA (OCPS ‐ 6.0 scale)
2. Accelerated Skill Development Curve
3. Real College Conditioning – Student preparation for college
4. Potential College Credit (and high school too)
5. SAT and SAT Subject Test Preparation
6. Extra College Points (on admissions)
7. Career Searching
8. College Placement Exemption
Earn College Credit and Advanced Placement
• Over 90% of 4‐year colleges in the U.S. provide credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying scores.
• For specific schools and their policies visit: http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcred
itpolicy/index.jsp
• Have time to move into upper‐level courses in your field of interest, pursue a double major, or study abroad.
Stand Out in the College Admissions Process
• Demonstrate your maturity and readiness for college. • Show your willingness to take the most rigorous courses available to you. • Emphasize your commitment to academic excellence. Gain Skills that Will Help You Succeed in College
• Get a head start on college‐level work.
• Improve your writing skills and sharpen your problem‐solving techniques.
• Develop the study habits necessary for tackling rigorous course work.
Broaden Your Intellectual Horizons
• Be part of a community of students and educators who are passionate, curious, and committed to academic excellence
• Engage in intense discussions, solve problems collaboratively, and learn to write clearly and persuasively
• Take courses that are developed by leading professors to reflect the level of learning happening at colleges throughout the country
22 AP Courses Offered at Boone
Art History
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
English Language
English Literature
Environmental Science
European History
Human Geography
Music Theory
Physics B
Physics C
Psychology
Spanish Language
Statistics
Studio Art
US Government
US History
World History
How are Exams Graded
• The multiple choice section is scored by computer.
• The free‐response booklets are evaluated by faculty consultants comprised of selected college professors and AP teachers.
• The total scores from the free‐response section and the multiple‐choice section are combined to form a composite score
5 Point Scale of Composite Score
5
4
3
2
1
Extremely Well Qualified
Well Qualified
Qualified
Possibly Qualified
No Recommendation
*2/3 of all AP students score a 3 or higher Most colleges accept grades of 3 and above
AP Scholar Awards
The AP Scholar Awards are nonmonetary based. Students receive a certificate and acknowledgement on the score reports, which are sent to colleges.
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AP Scholar
Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
AP Scholar with Honor
Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
AP Scholar with Distinction
Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
State AP Scholar
Granted to the one male and one female student in each U.S. state and the District of Columbia with scores of 3 or higher on the greatest number of AP Exams, and then the highest average score (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken.
National AP Scholar
Granted to students in the United States who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.
PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)
Sponsored by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation
PSAT Measures
1‐ Critical reading skills 2‐ Math problem‐solving skills
3‐ Writing skills
Scale Score is a 20‐80
Add a “0” to determine what a student’s SAT score should be
What’s on the Test
Five sections:
‐ Two 25‐minute critical reading
‐ Two 25‐minute math
‐ One 30‐minute writing skills
Total test is 2 hours and 10 minutes
Critical Reading
• Two 25‐minute critical reading sections
= 48 questions
• 13 Sentence completions
• 35 Critical reading questions
Math
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Two 25‐minute math sections = 38 questions
28 multiple‐choice math questions
10 Student‐produced responses or grid‐ins
Basic Knowledge in Numbers and Operation, Algebra and Functions, Geometry and Measurement, and Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability are covered
Writing Skills
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One 30‐minute writing section = 39 questions
14 Identifying sentence errors
20 Improving sentences
5 Improving paragraph questions
2008 Averages
• 11th Graders ‐ 1,588,688 total test takers
‐ 47 in Critical Reading
‐ 49 in Mathematics
‐ 46 in Writing Skills
• 10th Graders ‐ 1,521,122 total test takers
‐ 42 in Critical Reading
‐ 44 in Mathematics
‐ 41 in Writing Skills
• 9th Graders and below
‐ compared to 10th graders
Reasons Students Take the PSAT
• Students who have taken the PSAT score on average 3.3 points higher in critical reading, 4.4 points in math, and 4.1 points in writing skills on the SAT
• Receive feedback on strengths and weaknesses on the skills needed for college • Compare scores on an admissions test with others applying to college
• AP Placement purposes
• Practice and Preparation for the SAT
• Enter for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (11th grade)
• Receive information from colleges through Student Search Service
Reason Students Take the PSAT Cont.
• Receive a comprehensive score report and their original test booklet back
• Use of MyRoad
‐ The most comprehensive resource for education and career decision making
• Use of My College QuickStart
‐Online college and career planning kit • Both are free of charge to all students who take the PSAT/NMSQT.
MyRoad
• Take a validated personality assessment to get a detailed report on your personality type • Explore a list of suggested careers and majors that fit your personality and strengths • Search for colleges by location, major, cost, and much more • Find out what students and professionals have to say about their choices • Get tips on applying to college and succeeding in high school and beyond • Create an online portfolio for college and career planning My College QuickStart
• Comes with MyRoad and includes:
• My Online Score Report—an enhanced score report that allows students to review each test question, their answers, and the correct answers with answer explanations • My SAT Study Plan—a customized SAT study plan based on students' PSAT/NMSQT test performance, highlighting skills for review and practice • My Personality—a detailed personality test that helps students learn about themselves and discover majors and careers that fit their strengths and interests • My Major & Career Matches—extensive information about majors and careers, including insights about what to expect and what courses to take now • My College Matches—a starter list of colleges based on students' home state and indicated choice of major
National Merit Scholarship Program
•Program Recognition – highest 50,000 scores
•Commended Students – highest 34,000/96th percentile or 200 and above out of 240 •Semifinalists – highest 16,000 •Finalists – highest 15,000 (top 1%)
•Winner Selection ‐ chosen from the Finalist group, based on abilities, skills, and accomplishments (approx. 8,200) or half of the top 1%
Types of National Merit Scholarships
1. National Merit Scholarships
2. Corporate‐Sponsored
3. College‐Sponsored
Boone’s 2009 Top Scorers (200+) Selection Index (CR+M+W)
Approx. Average Selection Index in 2008 for 11thwas 147
Approx. Average Selection Index in 2008 for 10th and below was 127
*Highest possible score is 240
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9th
‐ 207
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10th
‐ 203
‐ 206
‐ 207
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11th ‐
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202
202
205
210
210
215
216
PSAT Publication Materials
Visit http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/psat/download
Where Do We Go From Here
After students receive and interpret their scores, they should bring their score report and have a meeting with their school counselor.
During this meeting the school counselor can review the information with them and view College Board’s AP Potential program to determine what AP course best suites the student.
The PSAT provides enormous benefits.
What is AP Potential?
Is an innovative, web‐based tool that uses correlations between PSAT/NMSQT scores and AP Exam results to identify students who may be successful in AP courses.
Gives suggestions as to which AP courses a student will be successful in.
With AP Potential school personnel can analyze current PSAT/NMSQT student score data from the October test date and examine which students are likely to score a 3 or better on a given AP Exam.
AP Potential helps open access and opportunity for all students and ensures no student, who has a chance of succeeding in an AP course is overlooked.
Students and parents are encouraged to speak to their school counselor or current teacher to find out if AP Potential will help them determine the correct course placement for their student.
Using AP Potential Appropriately
AP Potential should never be used as the sole determining factor for student enrollment in AP courses.
College Board’s AP Policy states: “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 population.”
Thank you for coming!
Mr. Caperton
Ms. Cortes
Ms. Gertel
Ms. Curry
Ms. Mooneyhan
Ms. Pearson
Ms. Clary A‐Cha
Che‐Ga
Ge‐Lal
Lam‐Orte
Orti‐Shi
Sho‐Z
A‐Z Magnet
ext. 7217
ext. 7279
ext. 7225
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