The AP® Program

at ARAB HIGH SCHOOL

93% of our 2013 graduates pursued post-secondary education.

34% enrolled in four year colleges

59% enrolled in two year colleges

In addition to our core curriculum, we teach 72 Career Technical Education courses at Arab High School.

College and Career Readiness

2

The new college and career readiness standards better align with ACT and AP courses.

A desire to become more competitive (scholarship and curriculum) with schools already teaching AP.

To raise ACT scores. (The average ACT score of our students currently enrolled in AP classes is 26).

Why offer Pre/AP and AP Courses?

3

We received a 3-year grant to assist in the implementation of Pre/AP and AP courses.

The grant provides financial assistance, professional development for teachers, 3 study sessions for students, and monetary incentives for teachers and students.

Any student scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam will receive a $100.

A+ College and Career Readiness Grant

4

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.

The Basics

5

The Benefits of AP Courses

AP courses can be challenging, but it’s work that pays off.•AP courses are often the most interesting and fulfilling courses a student takes in high school.

•Students develop confidence, and learn the study habits and time management skills essential for success in college.

6

AP and College Admission

• Colleges rank “Grades in college prep courses” and “Strength of curriculum” as one of the top factors in the admission decision.*

• 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions.**

7

“We look favorably on students who have taken AP courses. The presence of AP courses is a sign that a student has chosen to challenge him/herself.”—Admission Officer

* 2009 State of College Admission, NACAC** Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc. March 2007

What Are AP Courses Like?

AP courses typically demand more of students than regular courses.

•Classes tend to be fast-paced and cover more material than typical high school classes.

•More time, inside and outside of the classroom, is required to complete lessons, assignments and homework.

•AP teachers expect their students to think critically, analyze and synthesize facts and data, weigh competing perspectives, and write clearly and persuasively.

8

AP Exams

• AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on set dates each May.

• Exams usually last around three hours.

• Each AP Exam contains:

• Multiple-choice questions

• Free-response questions (essay, problem-solving, oral response)

9

AP Exam Fees

• AP Exam fee is $87 per exam.

• The A+ College and Career Readiness Grant pays a portion of the cost of the exam through next year (2015).

• Arab High School has assumed the remaining cost of the exam for this school year. Next school year, the students will pay for their portion of the exam. (Est. $50)

10

Why Take AP Exams?

Most two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States offer credit or advanced placement for qualifying AP Exam scores.

•Credit: Students earn credit toward their college degrees.

•Advanced placement: Students can skip introductory courses and move directly into higher-level classes, and/or fulfill general education requirements.

•Arab High School students taking AP courses are required to take the AP exam.

11

1. Search by college or university name or by letter of the alphabet

2. You will see two things for each school:• 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 Policy Information

Information about AP credit and placement policies at many colleges and universities is available at www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy.

12

AP Helps Students Graduate on Time…

Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a college degree on time.•Only one in four students who enter college complete a bachelor’s degree in four years.*

• A recent study** showed that students taking AP courses and exams were much more likely to earn a college degree in four years.

For example, AP English Literature students had four-year college graduation rates that were 62% higher than students that had not taken AP English Literature.

13 * IPEDS database, 2008** Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin, and Barbara Dodd, “College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences.” The College Board, 2008.

… and Save Money

• Students who take five years or more to graduate can spend $8,000-$27,000 for each additional year in college.

• The typical college cost per year for a four-year public institution is $8,142 for in-state students and $19,670 for out-of-state students.*

• Students attending private institutions might expect to incur $27,389 for each additional year it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree.*

14 * Costs include tuition, fees, and books and supplies only, and do not include room, board, and other living expenses. Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets, 2009-10 (Enrollment-Weighted). The College Board, ”Trends in College Pricing,” 2009.

AP Boosts Eligibility for Scholarships

31% of colleges and universities consider a student’s AP experience when making decisions about which students will receive scholarships.*

“Having the AP Exam score can make the difference when it comes down to awarding precious scholarship dollars.”—Edwina Harris Hamby, former Dean of Admission, Fisk University

* Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc. March 2007 15

AP and College Success

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.

16 *Krista Mattern, Emily Shaw, and Xinhui Xiong, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes” (2009), The College Board.

“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

PRE/AP Courses Offered at Arab High School:

• Pre-AP English 9

• Pre-AP English 10

• Pre-AP Geometry (9th Grade Only)

• Pre-AP Algebra 2 w/Trig (10th Grade Only)

• Pre-Calculus

• Pre-AP Spanish

• Pre-AP Biology Pre-AP Chemistry• New Courses 2014-2015

Pre-AP U.S. History 1

17

AP Courses Offered at Arab High School:

• AP Language and Composition (11TH Grade)

• AP English Literature (12TH Grade)

• AP Chemistry AP Biology AP Physics

• AP Statistics AP Calculus

• AP World History

• AP Spanish Language• New Courses 2014-2015

AP Government/Economics (ACCESS ONLINE)

18

Expectations for Students Enrolling in AP classes

• Students are required to attend the 3 Saturday study sessions (Only students participating in an Arab High School extracurricular activity are excused).

• Students must take the AP mock exam and final exam to receive credit for the course (These exams are not tied to the course grade).

• Students will not be allowed to drop the course mid year.

19

WEIGHTED CREDIT

• ALL Pre-AP Course are weighted 1.1

• Example:

• Student 1 Student 2

• English 9 Pre-AP English 9

• Grade 91 Avg. Grade 85

• 3.55 GPA 3.58 GPA

• SEE GPA SCALE FOR AHS

20

WEIGHTED CREDIT

• ALL AP Courses are weighted 1.2

• Example:

• Student 1 Student 2

• English 11 AP English 11

• Grade 90 Avg. Grade 79

• 3.50 GPA 3.54 GPA

• SEE GPA SCALE FOR AHS

21

1st Semester Class Averages for PRE/AP

Grade Weight Corresponding GPA

84 1.1 3.52 (Equivalent to 90)

83 1.1 3.47 (Equivalent to 89)

82 1.1 3.41 (Equivalent to 88)

85 1.1 3.58 (Equivalent to 91)

80 1.1 3.30 (Equivalent to 86)

87 1.1 3.69 (Equivalent to 93)

1st Semester Class Averages for APGrade Weight Corresponding GPA

83 1.2 3.78 (Equivalent to 95)

82 1.2 3.72 (Equivalent to 94)

82 1.2 3.72 (Equivalent to 94)

92 1.2 4.32 (Equivalent to > 100)

94 1.2 4.44 (Equivalent to > 100)

91 1.2 4.26 (Equivalent to > 100)

84 1.2 3.84 (Equivalent to 97)

91 1.2 4.26 (Equivalent to > 100)

The 4.0 MYTH

Student A Student B

GPA 3.94 3.75

Career B’s 2 3

Career C’s 0 2

Career D’s 0 1 (69)

10th Grade ACT 26 26

12th Grade ACT 26 30

No Scholarship Full Scholarship

Why NOT to take Pre-AP / AP Classes?

• To be with friends

• To earn the additional Carnegie unit and raise GPA

• If nothing but A’s are desired or deemed acceptable.

BENCHMARK SCORES FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND AP APTITUDE

Explore Scores Plan Scores

• English 13 15

• Reading 16 18

• Math 17 19

• Science 18 20

26

Should We?, Shouldn’t We, or How Many?

1. Look at your child’s Explore or Plan Data

2. Evaluate all the factors- Extra-curricular (sports, clubs, band, AMT, work, outside interest, work ethic, etc.

3. Is this a transition year?

1. Our students consistently report that 9th grade is the most difficult year academically due mainly to the transition.

2. A 9th grade student that is highly involved might want to be selective with the number of Pre-AP classes

4. Sit down with guidance counselor or principal27