February 13, 2013. Increase college readiness skills Stand out in the college admissions process Broaden your intellectual horizons Potential.

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.

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

College Admissions 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.”

*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.

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.

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.

Credit: Students earn points toward their college degrees

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

English Literature and Composition (11th Grade) 1 credit United States History (11th and 12th Grade) 1 credit Calculus (11th and 12th Grade) 1 credit Advanced Calculus (11th and 12th Grade) 1 credit Computer Science (11th and 12th Grade) .5 credit Statistics (11th and 12th Grade) 1 credit Biology (10th, 11th, and 12th Grade) 1 credit Chemistry (11th and 12th Grade) 1 credit Human Geography (9th Grade only) .5 credit World History (10th Grade only) 1 credit Economics (11th and 12th Grade) .5 credit Psychology (11th and 12th Grade) .5 credit

Semester long courses for juniors and seniorsCurrently offered in fall and spring semester

Students prefer to take the courses in the spring Concurrent AP Microeconomics/AP Psychology

A/B schedule with classes on alternating days throughout the entire school year

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

PrerequisitesAdvanced Placement – As listed in registration bookAnoka Ramsey – Decile level and ___ Accuplacer TestUniversity of Minnesota – Decile levelPSEO – College specific entrance requirements

Enrollment ExpectationsFactors to considerRequirements Procedures

11th GradeAmerican History OR AP US History 1 creditAmerican Literature OR AP English Lit. 1 creditMath 1 creditScience 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 completedFine arts – 1 credit if not completed

12th GradeGovernment & Citizenship .5 credit ORCIS Democracy .5 creditEconomics & Political Science .5 credit ORAP Economics .5 creditWorld Literature 1&2 1 credit ORCIS Literature .5 credit ANDEnglish elective .5 credit Science elective(s) if not completed – a total of 3 credits needed for

graduationMath if neededHealthy Living - .5 credit if not completedFine arts 1 credit if not completed

Advanced Placement and college level courses at Centennial High School are not simply honors level high school courses.

They require students to be self-directed, responsible, and willing to spend time outside of school studying.

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.

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&ep_mid=10674414&ep_rid=30943447

Choose thoughtfully Schedule changes

QuestionsIf you have questions, please see your counselor

or Mrs. Christiansen for additional information.