TheTheCollege College Board’s Board’s

Advanced Advanced PlacementPlacement®® Program Program

At Brookwood High At Brookwood High SchoolSchool

What is the What is the APAP®® Program?Program?

The College Board developed the The College Board developed the international AP Program as a method to international AP Program as a method to

raise educational standards in 1955. raise educational standards in 1955. It is based on a commitment to academic It is based on a commitment to academic rigor and the premise that college-level rigor and the premise that college-level material can be taught successfully to material can be taught successfully to

motivated high school studentsmotivated high school students

When is an advanced class When is an advanced class not just an advanced class?not just an advanced class?

. . . when it’s a . . . when it’s a

College BoardCollege Board

Advanced Advanced PlacementPlacement®® class.class.

The College Board mission:to connect students to college success and opportunity.

• Excellence

• Equity

• College Readiness

AP® Program

• Advanced Placement classes use College Board course guides and college textbooks approved by the College Board.

• The College Board requires each AP

teacher to submit a syllabus for approval.

• AP students take national AP exams in May. Qualifying scores earn college as well as high school credit.

What is an APWhat is an AP®® course? course? College-level coursework completed at the College-level coursework completed at the

secondary levelsecondary level Opportunity to earn college credit through Opportunity to earn college credit through

national AP Exams: one or two course national AP Exams: one or two course creditscredits

Preparation for the national AP ExamsPreparation for the national AP Exams Superior college preparationSuperior college preparation Development of habits of mind necessary Development of habits of mind necessary

for college successfor college success Classes taught by College Board trained Classes taught by College Board trained

teachersteachers

Earn academic Earn academic scholarshipsscholarships

or awardsor awards

Some of the most Some of the most competitive scholarship competitive scholarship awards value AP Exam awards value AP Exam grades:grades:““Having the AP Exam Having the AP Exam grade can make the grade can make the difference when it difference when it comes down to comes down to awarding precious awarding precious scholarship dollars.”scholarship dollars.”

——Edwina Harris Hamby, Dean of Edwina Harris Hamby, Dean of AdmissionAdmission

Fisk UniversityFisk University

Be a step aheadBe a step ahead

““I received a 3 on my AP I received a 3 on my AP English Exam and could have English Exam and could have exempted English 111 at my exempted English 111 at my college, but I decided to take college, but I decided to take English 111. My college class English 111. My college class is covering the same material is covering the same material I studied in AP English. I studied in AP English. Thanks to my experience Thanks to my experience preparing for the free-preparing for the free-response questions, my response questions, my frequent essay exams are a frequent essay exams are a breeze. By taking AP, I’m a breeze. By taking AP, I’m a step ahead of the others in step ahead of the others in my class. I know the material my class. I know the material and I know the process.”and I know the process.”

——Anne Elliott, University of ConnecticutAnne Elliott, University of Connecticut

Newsweek reported,“The Science Academy of South Texas, a public school that draws students from rural counties, has sent a number of migrant workers’ children to high-tech colleges by exposing them to difficult AP assignments.”

Newsweek and other national media rank high schools by the percentage of total students taking AP, the percentage of students from different economic levels taking AP, and the number of exams taken.

What do college faculty have to say about AP?

• “We observe a difference between students without any AP experience and AP students who have developed time management skills and the discipline to do the type of time-consuming intellectual work that is required to be successful in college.”

Stephen A. Benson

Director, Center for Teaching Excellence

University of Maryland

SuccessSuccess

Save $ by earning enough AP Save $ by earning enough AP Credits to graduate early or save Credits to graduate early or save

time and do a double major.time and do a double major.Go to med school early!Go to med school early!

Why take an APWhy take an AP©© course? course?

College AdmissionCollege AdmissionCollege TransitionCollege TransitionCollege SuccessCollege Success

College preparation, not simply College preparation, not simply college admission, is our goal.college admission, is our goal.

Get in . . .Get in . . .

Stay in . . . Stay in . . .

Graduate.Graduate.

College AdmissionCollege Admission

Rigor of Schedule has increased in Rigor of Schedule has increased in importance in college admission importance in college admission decisions.decisions.

BHS students compete for admission BHS students compete for admission and scholarships with students from all and scholarships with students from all over the U.S. who have multiple APover the U.S. who have multiple AP®® classes on transcripts as well as strong classes on transcripts as well as strong SAT scores, activities, and honors.SAT scores, activities, and honors.

What is Rigor of What is Rigor of Schedule?Schedule?

The most challenging courses available The most challenging courses available in a specific high schoolin a specific high school

College admissions offices receive a list College admissions offices receive a list of every class offered at a specific high of every class offered at a specific high school and can see if a student has school and can see if a student has enrolled in the most demanding classes enrolled in the most demanding classes available or notavailable or not

Difficulty of courses taken in high Difficulty of courses taken in high school corresponds to higher college school corresponds to higher college GPA and much greater chance that GPA and much greater chance that student will actually finish college. student will actually finish college. (U.S. (U.S. Department of Education, Edlemann report, 1999/2011.)Department of Education, Edlemann report, 1999/2011.)

Factors Influencing Admission Factors Influencing Admission DecisionsDecisions

NACAC Admission Trends Survey, 2013 NACAC Admission Trends Survey, 2013

Average number of Average number of AP classes on transcripts of AP classes on transcripts of

freshman class at freshman class at UGAUGA

55Source: Admission Director’s Speech to AP Source: Admission Director’s Speech to AP

Summer Institute at UGA, 2008 Summer Institute at UGA, 2008

Average number of Average number of AP classes on transcripts of AP classes on transcripts of students waitlisted at students waitlisted at UGAUGA

22

Habits of MindHabits of Mind Time ManagementTime Management

AP students have an AP students have an easier transition to easier transition to

college.college.

Research•U.S. Dept. of Education published a landmark study Answers in the Toolbox in 1999 and updated in 2011.

• This longitudinal study showed that the rigor of courses of “academic intensity and quality” found in AP and IB classes were the single most powerful predictors of bachelor’s degree completion, much more accurate than GPA or test scores.

AP and College Success™

29

45

61

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

No AP One AP Two+ AP

Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a bachelor’s degree in four years or less.

Source: Camara, Wayne (2003). College Persistence, Graduation, and Remediation. College Board Research Notes (RN-19). New York, NY: College Board.

Only 45% of students Only 45% of students entering college entering college

complete a degree complete a degree program and graduate.program and graduate.

Center for College Center for College Readiness, 2014Readiness, 2014

Center for College Center for College ReadinessReadiness

AP Students more likely toAP Students more likely to

graduate from collegegraduate from college graduate in 4 years or graduate in 4 years or

lessless have higher GPAhave higher GPA in a study of over in a study of over

220,000 students 220,000 students

((Hargrove, Grodin, Hargrove, Grodin, &Dodd, 2007; &Dodd, 2007;

Dougherty, Mellor, & Jian, Dougherty, Mellor, & Jian, 2005)2005)

AP Students outperform AP Students outperform non-AP students who took non-AP students who took

introductory level introductory level university courses university courses

non-AP students who did non-AP students who did dual enrollment as seniorsdual enrollment as seniors

(Mattern, Shaw, & Xiong, (Mattern, Shaw, & Xiong, 2009)2009)

non-AP students who took non-AP students who took standard high school standard high school courses in all college courses in all college outcomesoutcomes

(Hargrove, Godin, & Dodd, (Hargrove, Godin, & Dodd, 2007)2007)

Research

• A study at Yale found that AP students performed better than non-AP students.

• Compared to classmates of similar ability, AP students were more likely in college to maintain a B average or higher and to graduate with honors.

About 70% of students About 70% of students lose the Hope lose the Hope Scholarship after the Scholarship after the first semester of college. first semester of college. source: Atlanta source: Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionJournal-Constitution

AP students have a AP students have a higher incidence of higher incidence of maintaining a 3.0 or maintaining a 3.0 or higher in college than higher in college than non-AP students.non-AP students.

source: Yale Study and source: Yale Study and Morgan/Klaric (2007)Morgan/Klaric (2007)

Research

• Largest study to date(27 colleges, including University of Georgia)

AP students with AP grades of 4 and 5 did extremely well in initial advanced level college coursework after earning AP credit for introductory college courses.

AP students who scored 3 or higher on AP Exams outperformed similar college students who did not take AP courses.

(Morgan and Ramist, 1998; Morgan and Klaric, 2007))

Brookwood High School Brookwood High School AP ProgramAP Program

BHS offers over 20 APBHS offers over 20 AP© © courses.courses. English Literature and Composition English Literature and Composition English Language and Composition English Language and Composition Spanish, Latin, French Spanish, Latin, French American History, European History, World History, American History, European History, World History,

Psychology, Government, Economics, GeographyPsychology, Government, Economics, Geography Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental SciencePhysics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science Computer Science Computer Science Statistics, Calculus AB, Calculus BCStatistics, Calculus AB, Calculus BC Art History, Studio Art, and Music TheoryArt History, Studio Art, and Music Theory

How many courses per How many courses per year?year?

Ninth grade: AP Human GeographyNinth grade: AP Human Geography Tenth grade: AP World HistoryTenth grade: AP World History Most other AP courses are 11Most other AP courses are 11thth and and

1212thth grade courses. grade courses. Students often take two or three per Students often take two or three per

year.year. A few well-organized and highly A few well-organized and highly

motivated students take as many as motivated students take as many as five or six per year.five or six per year.

AP GradesAP Gradeswith Bonus Pointswith Bonus Points

To encourage To encourage students to take students to take these challenging these challenging courses, GCPS courses, GCPS Board of Board of Education policy Education policy awards 10 bonus awards 10 bonus points to report points to report card grades.card grades.

Example:Example:

89 + 10 = 9989 + 10 = 99

93 + 10 = 10393 + 10 = 103

Reach for Higher Academic Reach for Higher Academic GoalsGoals

* An easier class load may produce a * An easier class load may produce a higher grade point average in high higher grade point average in high school, but it also produces a student school, but it also produces a student who enters college less prepared than who enters college less prepared than his peers who have taken more his peers who have taken more challenging classes.challenging classes.

Representatives of Representatives of

UGA, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Georgia UGA, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Georgia SouthernSouthern

A Tradition of ExcellenceA Tradition of Excellence

When asked why he was having his team When asked why he was having his team play a tougher schedule than he had to, play a tougher schedule than he had to, a winning high school football coach a winning high school football coach said,said,

“ “We don’t get any better We don’t get any better

if we play easy teams.”if we play easy teams.” - Coach Dave Hunter- Coach Dave Hunter

Retired BHS Athletic DirectorRetired BHS Athletic Director

The Brookwood WayThe Brookwood Way

AP students don’t play easy teams AP students don’t play easy teams either. They improve by stepping up either. They improve by stepping up

to the challenge of college-level to the challenge of college-level learning. Taking less challenging learning. Taking less challenging

classes does not serve students well classes does not serve students well in a highly competitive, global world.in a highly competitive, global world.

In sports or academics In sports or academics The Brookwood WayThe Brookwood Way

continues the traditioncontinues the traditionof excellence by choosingof excellence by choosing

rigor over rigor mortisrigor over rigor mortisand and

challenge over challenge over complacency. complacency.

A Tradition of ExcellenceA Tradition of Excellence

““A man’s reach should exceed his A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”

Robert BrowningRobert Browning

Choose Challenge.Choose Challenge.

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 things for each school that has provided their 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.

AP Credit and PlacementPolicy Information

Visit the College Board website to examine the research.

www.collegeboard.com