How To Get An Advanced Placement Degree From Stuttgart High School

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1 A pupil from whom nothing is ever demanded never does all that he can. John Stuart Mill

2 Welcome to Stuttgart High School

3 WHAT IS AP? AP courses are college-level offerings measured by end of year exams AP Exams provide SHS students the opportunity to receive college credit All AP courses are approved by the College Board which insures the same curriculum Colleges understand the rigor of the program and usually grant credit for successful completion (3+) AP classes carry an additional GPA weight

4 THE STUTTGART HIGH SCHOOL ADVANCED ACADEMICS PHILOSOPHY Open enrollment College and Career Readiness for all Positive academic pressure All students challenged and supported

5 TEACHER PREPARATION Additional training Updated certification Each syllabus approved by the College Board annually

6 What does it take to be successful? Motivation, commitment and reasonable expectations Self-knowledge-interests, talents, priorities Organization, prioritization, multitasking 4-5 hours/week homework per course Encouragement and support from family Open mind Hard work

7 WHY TAKE AN AP CLASS? You will have OUTSTANDING, well-trained teachers You will learn with other GREAT students You will strive for knowledge-not grades You will learn to read critically, take notes, and annotate You will learn to think deeply You will learn to think flexibly, you will learn to reason You will learn to communicate your thoughts clearly, cogently and persuasively You will broaden your choices of colleges You are earning your own scholarship You will prepare for the pressures of college living

8 BENEFITS OF THE AP PROGRAM Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely to graduate from college in four years. Students who take longer to graduate from a public university typically pay between $10,000 and $40,000 or more for each additional year. Students acquire college-level analytical skills, study skills, increase self-mastery and gain academic confidence. AP coursework increases eligibility for scholarships and makes candidates more attractive to colleges. Students develop stronger sense of academic purpose and direction.

9 MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT IN EACH SHS AP CLASS You will experience pressures/challenges such as you have never known You will succeed! You will discover the satisfaction of meeting difficult challenges under pressure (it is awesome!) it will motivate you You will experience self-mastery and discipline. You will learn to complete your work each day You will have to choose to work on AP instead of something doing something more fun-or sleeping! You will fail! You will learn to see failure as a necessary step in learning-nothing more. You will use failure as opportunity to improve it will motivate you

10 WHAT COUNTS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS NACAC 2008 Recommendations Essays 21% 27% Grades in ALL Classes SAT/ACT Scores 52% 54% Strength of Curriculum Grades in Challenging Classes 62% 75% Admission Trends: NACAC Admission Trends Survey 2008

11 THE BENEFITS OF AP FOR STUDENTS DOWN THE ROAD You do not have to take the weed out classes..freshman college classes are typically very large In many schools, Teaching Assistants teach entry level college classes Rigorous coursework prepares you for the rigors of college life before you pay ($$$)

12 AP vs. On- Level Classes Students Parents How much more work is it? Are they harder? Can I have a life? What do colleges want to see? Can my child handle it? How involved should I be?

13 Responsibilities of AP Students 1. A willingness to actively engage with sophisticated concepts. - Desire to be challenged - Ask questions during class - Seek help when you need clarification - Stay organized 2. A willingness to be measured against rigorous, college- level standards. - More written vs. objective tests - Open-ended questions - Faster pace - More depth

14 Responsibilities of AP Students 3. A willingness to complete longer and more complex nightly assignments pages a week of outside reading - 45 minutes to 1 hour of homework 4. A willingness to complete the Advanced Placement Examination in May. - Studying/meeting outside of class - Accumulating knowledge and skills

15 Duty of AP Teachers GROWTH Aug Jan May Aug Jan May An AP course is a college course. Courses are fast-paced, and you may be unable to catch up if you do not remain current with your work. The class must adhere closely to a pre-established timeline and will not slow down for you.

16 AP Examinations Administered in May Approximately 3 hours long Composed of multiple choice and free-response questions Free-response questions scored by college professors and AP teachers in June

17 AP Examinations Interpretations of Scores 5 Extremely Well Qualified 4 Well Qualified 3 Qualified 2 Possibly Qualified 1 No Recommendation

18 How many AP classes should I take? Most Selective Schools (Top 20): APs in all of the core courses, plus additional AP courses that relate to your goals, future major, or interests. This will end up being between 7 and 12 AP courses. Selective Schools (Top 100): APs in most core courses, plus one or two additional courses. This will end up being between 4 and 8 AP courses. Less Selective Schools: APs in some core courses, or in courses related to your anticipated major. This will end up being between 1 and 5 AP courses. When choosing AP classes, prioritize subjects that are genuinely interesting to you and you would like to continue in college before you choose AP classes just for the sake of AP.

19 How many AP classes should I take? It is easier to manage the workload of simultaneous AP classes after you have successfully completed one AP class. Each AP class requires 45 minutes to an hour of homework every night of every weekday. This is in addition to time that may be required by other rigorous classwork. A student and their family must build this time in to the student s daily schedule as if it were a class or a sport. With adequate advanced planning, a student may graduate Stuttgart High School as an AP scholar, or with an AP Diploma.

20 AP AWARDS 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

21 AP AWARDS 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 DODEA AP Scholar: Granted to the one male and one female student attending Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools with the highest average score on the greatest number of AP Exams. The minimum requirement is a score of 3 or higher on three exams.

22 AP CAPSTONE DIPLOMA AP Capstone Diploma- AP Capstone is an innovative diploma program that provides students with an opportunity to engage in rigorous scholarly practice of the core academic skills necessary for successful college completion. AP Research and Seminar, and four other AP courses

23 AP INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMA AP International Diploma -The AP International Diploma (APID) is a globally recognized award for students interested in pursuing university study outside of their native country. It requires students to display mastery on AP Exams across several disciplines, and represents an exceptional level of achievement Two AP Exams from one world language and culture course and one English course One AP Exam offering a global perspective One AP Exam from either the sciences, or math and computer science One additional AP Exam; cannot be English or a world language

24 Supporting Students 1. Summer Work 2. AP Committee 3. Study Groups / Peer Tutoring

25 THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM It s not just an Examination. It s not just a Course. It s An Opportunity to Write Your Own Scholarship!