The Advanced
Placement Program®
Great Bridge High School
2016-2017
Presented by:
Donna Weingand
Assistant Principal for
Instruction
Advanced Placement Program® (AP®)
courses give students a head start
for college.
Taking AP courses and exams sends
a powerful message to colleges and
universities that students are prepared for
serious academic work. Students can gain
admission, college credit, and placement into
advanced courses.
Prepare Now to Succeed in College
A recent U.S.
Department of Education
study found that the
strongest predictor of
college graduation is
the preparation
students do in high
school before they go
to college. The most
rigorous, college-level
courses in high school
are AP courses.
Clifford Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box:
Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and
Bachelor’s Degree Attainment (1999), U.S.
Department of Education.
AP and College Success™
Students who take AP
courses and exams
are much more likely
than their peers to
complete a
bachelor’s degree in
four years or fewer.
Source: Camara, Wayne (2003).
College Persistence, Graduation, and
Remediation. College Board Research
Notes (RN-19). New York, NY:
College Board.
• According to a recent study..
• College students who have
taken an AP course have a
33% chance of completing a
Bachelor’s Degree
• College students who have
completed (taken and passed
the exam) one AP course have
a 59% chance of completing a
Bachelor’s Degree
• College students who have
completed two or more AP
courses increase to more than
a 76% chance of completing a
Bachelor’s Degree
What’s the difference
between AP and Honors?
• AP courses are not just a level above honors
courses – they are completely different courses
that are designed and updated annually to reflect
what is being taught in college courses.
• Students receive an external evaluation—
the AP Exam—which is scored by both college
and highly qualified high-school faculty from
around the world who verify that the student has
mastered college-level work.
Why take the AP Exam?
Most of the nation’s colleges and universities, plus
colleges and universities in 24 other countries, grant
students admission, credit, and/or placement for
qualifying AP exam grades.
At most universities students can use qualifying
AP exam grades to:
• Graduate in three or three-and-a-half years
• Fulfill general education requirements
• Enter upper-level courses
What’s the difference
between credit and placement?
• Some colleges award credit for qualifying
AP exam grades. This means the student
earns credit towards a college degree.
• Other colleges award advanced placement. This
means students can skip introductory courses,
enter higher-level classes, and/or waive general
education requirements.
What are some other advantages of
taking AP exams?
• Stand out in the admissions process
• Students who have taken AP courses show maturity and higher
readiness for college
• AP students demonstrate a commitment to hard-work
• A “strong schedule” makes students a great sell for college
admissions
• Earn academic scholarships and awards
• Experience college-level exams
• Qualify to be an AP Scholar – a lifetime award (score of 3 on at least 3
AP exams)
• Qualify to be an AP National Scholar – GPA of 4.0 in 8 AP courses
Earn Academic Scholarships
or Awards
Some of the most
competitive scholarship
awards value AP exam
grades:
“Having the AP exam
grade can make the
difference when it comes
down to awarding precious
scholarship dollars.”
—Edwina Harris Hamby, Dean of Admission
Fisk University
Suggested Requirements to Take AP
Courses
• Solid skills: PSAT scores are highly correlated to success in AP
courses
• Solid preparation in Honors courses (though not an absolute
requirement)
• A 3.0 GPA – Students generally need appreciably higher to be
successful
• A conscientious work ethic, student motivation, and student
commitment
• The ability to read well (AP textbooks can be difficult to read)
• A willingness to make preparation for AP courses a priority
(homework, reading load, studying)
• Support at home
Plan Ahead for AP Coursework
• Students wishing to take advantage of AP
coursework at Great Bridge High School
should plan ahead!
• Prerequisites needed
• Consider doubling-up on Math and Science
• Use the four-year planning chart in your
scheduling book.
2016-2017 AP Courses: Science
• AP Biology – Ms. Barbara Bates (FY)
• AP Chemistry – Mrs. Carol Gonyo (FY)
• AP Physics I – Mr. David Herman (S1)
• AP Physics II – Mr. David Herman (S2)
2016-2017 AP Courses: Mathematics
• AP Calculus AB – Mrs. Kathy Cannon (S1)
• AP Calculus BC – Mrs. Kathy Cannon (S2)
• AP Statistics – Mr. Bruce Mayhue (S1/ S2)
2016-2017 AP Courses: English
• AP Language and Composition, Grade 11 Mrs. Cathy Ireland (FY)
• AP Literature and Composition, Grade 12 –
Mrs. Marjorie Guzik (FY)
2016-2017 AP Courses: Social
Studies
• AP European History, Grades 10 or 12 – Mrs.
Jennifer Hamilton (FY)
• AP US History, Grade 11 – Ms. Melissa Bailey (FY)
• AP US Government, Grade 12 – Mr. John Conner
(S1/ S2)
• AP Psychology, Grades 11 or 12 – Mrs. Lindsay
Smith-Ingram (S1/ S2)
2016-2017 AP Courses: Foreign
Language
• AP French – Ms. Sarah Lucas (S2)
• AP Spanish – Mr. Brian Auten (S2)
• Note: Students interested in AP Foreign Language
courses typically take Level 5 and AP over the course of
one year
2016-2017 AP Courses: Fine Arts
• AP Music Theory – Mr. James Sanders
(S2)
• AP Art History – Ms. Sarah Lucas (S1/ S2)
• AP 2D Studio Art – Mrs. Julie Bailey (S2)
• AP 3D Studio Art – Mrs. Stacey Grieff (S2)
Dual Enrollment:
College Composition I and II
• Satisfies the requirement for English 12
• Satisfies the requirements for both English 111
and English 112 at TCC (6 credits)
• Utilizes a 10-point grading scale
• Does require an application, placement test OR
minimum score on the SAT, purchase of a
textbook, and tuition (about $45.00 per credit
hour = $270.00 for the year)
Dual Enrollment:
Environmental Science
• Weighted elective (.05 added to GPA)
• Three credit course through TCC
• Utilizes a 10-point grading scale
• Does require an application, placement test OR
minimum score on the SAT, purchase of a
textbook, and tuition (about $45.00 per credit
hour = $135.00 for the course)
AP Coursework and Virtual Virginia
• Additional courses may be offered through
the Virtual Virginia program, including:
• AP Environmental Science
• AP Computer Science
• AP Macroeconomics
• AP Comparative Government
• Others
AP Credit and Placement
Policy Information
Colleges and universities throughout the world offer
credit and/or placement for qualifying Advanced
Placement Exam scores. Information about AP
credit and placement policies at many colleges and
universities is now available on the College Board’s
web site:
www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy
AP Credit and Placement
Policy Information
1. Go to
www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy
2.
Type in the name of the college or
university whose AP policy you want
to view (or browse by letter of the
alphabet).
3.
You will see two items for each
school that has provided its AP credit
policy info:
• A link to the college’s own web page
that details its AP credit and
placement policies.
• A statement by the college or
university about its AP policy.
Q&A
• Speak to the AP teachers here tonight!