February 13, 2013
 Increase
college readiness skills
 Stand out in the college admissions process
 Broaden your intellectual horizons
 Potential to earn college credits (save money on
tuition)
 Develop confidence, and learn the study habits and
time management skills essential for success in
college
Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) courses are
college-level courses offered in high school. AP courses
reflect what is taught in top introductory college
courses
 At the end of course, students take AP Exams—
standardized exams that measure how well students
have mastered college-level course work.
 Students who do well on AP Exams can earn credit
and/or placement into advanced courses in college.
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rank “Grades in college prep courses” and
“Strength of curriculum” as the top two factors in the
admission decision.*
 Colleges
Officer – “We look favorable on
students who have taken AP courses. The presence of
AP courses is a sign that a student has chosen to
challenge him/herself.”
 College Admissions
*2009 State of College Admission, NACAC
AP courses typically demand more of students
than regular or honors courses.
 Classes tend to be fast-paced and cover more material
than typical high school classes.
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More time, inside and outside of the classroom, is
required to complete lessons, assignments and
homework.
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AP teachers expect their students to think critically,
analyze and synthesize facts and data, weigh competing
perspectives, and write clearly and persuasively.
More than 3,200 colleges and universities offer credit
or advanced placement for qualifying AP Exam scores.
This includes more than 90 percent of four-year U.S.
colleges and universities.
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Credit: Students earn points toward their college
degrees
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Advanced placement: Students can skip introductory
courses, enter higher-level classes, and/or fulfill general
education requirements.
College credit earned through AP Exams allows students
to move into upper-level college courses sooner, pursue
a double major, and gain time to study and travel
abroad.
“As a freshman, I was able to skip general education requirements and
head straight into the higher-level classes I wanted to take. Taking AP
Exams literally saved me semesters of time.” – Brent Wiese, University of
Iowa
A recent study* showed that students who earned a 3,
4, or 5 on the AP Exam had higher first-year college
grade point averages and were more likely to return for
the second year of college than non-AP students of
similar ability.
“One of the best standard predictors of academic success at
Harvard is performance on Advanced Placement
Examinations.” – William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions
& Financial Aid, Harvard University
*Krista Mattern, Emily Shaew, and Xinhui Xiong, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes” (2009), The College Board
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English Literature and Composition (11th Grade)
United States History (11th and 12th Grade)
Calculus (11th and 12th Grade)
Advanced Calculus (11th and 12th Grade)
Computer Science (11th and 12th Grade)
Statistics (11th and 12th Grade)
Biology (10th, 11th, and 12th Grade)
Chemistry (11th and 12th Grade)
Human Geography (9th Grade only)
World History (10th Grade only)
Economics (11th and 12th Grade)
Psychology (11th and 12th Grade)
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
.5 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
.5 credit
1 credit
.5 credit
.5 credit
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Semester long courses for juniors and seniors
Currently offered in fall and spring semester
Students prefer to take the courses in the spring
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Concurrent AP Microeconomics/AP Psychology
A/B schedule with classes on alternating days throughout
the entire school year
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Single Classes still offered
Students registering for both will be given the
option to take the classes concurrently or
independently
-5228 AP Psychology split
-5229 AP Microeconomics split
CIS University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
 American Democracy in a Changing World
 Introduction to Literature
 Intermediate German
CE Anoka Ramsey Community College
 Environmental Science
 General Physics
Eligible students
 Eligible institutions
 Student requirements and responsibilities
 Courses and credits
 Not eligible for Honors credits or weighted grades
 Points to consider
• Transportation
• Part time - matching high school and college schedule
 Students must schedule an appointment with their counselor
for more information
 Put course #8039 in alternates on registration form
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Prerequisites
Advanced Placement – As listed in registration book
Anoka Ramsey – Decile level and ___ Accuplacer Test
University of Minnesota – Decile level
PSEO – College specific entrance requirements
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Enrollment Expectations
Factors to consider
Requirements
Procedures
11th Grade
American History
OR
AP US History 1 credit
American Literature OR AP English Lit. 1 credit
Math
1 credit
Science elective(s) - 2 additional credits needed for graduation
during grades 11 and 12 including 1 credit of chemistry or
physics
Healthy Living - .5 credit if not completed
Fine arts – 1 credit if not completed
12th Grade
Government & Citizenship
.5 credit
OR
CIS Democracy
.5 credit
Economics & Political Science
.5 credit
OR
AP Economics
.5 credit
World Literature 1&2
1 credit
OR
CIS Literature
.5 credit
AND
English elective
.5 credit
Science elective(s) if not completed – a total of 3 credits needed for
graduation
Math if needed
Healthy Living - .5 credit if not completed
Fine arts 1 credit if not completed
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Advanced Placement and college level courses at
Centennial High School are not simply honors level
high school courses.
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They require students to be self-directed, responsible,
and willing to spend time outside of school studying.
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You have more hours of homework when you take
these courses than you have with regular and honors
courses. You must decide how that additional study
time requirement fits with your school, home, church,
and social activities.
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See the proposed schedule worksheet and ask yourself
the following questions.
• How much time do I spend each week on school activities?
• How much time do I spend each week on outside of school
activities?
• How much time do I currently spend doing my homework
each day?
• How much time am I willing and able to spend doing my
homework next year if I add additional challenge to my
schedule?
Can I just “try out” an Advanced Placement or College in
the Schools class and then drop it later?
No, registering for a class is a commitment to take the
class for the entire semester or year.
http://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap?ep_ch=PR&e
p_mid=10674414&ep_rid=30943447
Choose thoughtfully
 Schedule changes
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Questions
If you have questions, please see your counselor
or Mrs. Christiansen for additional information.