2012 college night volunteers - Tulare County Office of Education

TULARE COUNTY COLLEGE NIGHTwww.tcoe.org/collegenightADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) PROGRAMAdvanced Placement courses offer students of high motivation and achievement the opportunity to receive advancedplacement in college course work, or actual college credits for classes taken in high school upon entering college.Students enroll and take Advanced Placement courses while in high school. Some high schools offer AP courses tostudents online. Students usually take AP courses in the junior and/or senior year. At the end of the year (in May)Advanced Placement examinations are administered. The score a student receives on the AP exam determines theamount of college credit (if any) to be received for the course. These exams require payment of a fee. Often this fee issubsidized or waived (at the school site level) for students with financial need. Each student should check at theirschool for policies and procedures on enrolling, testing and paying for advanced placement classes.AP examinations are scored on a scale of 1-5; with 5 being the highest score possible. A score of 3 or above is considered“qualifying” or passing. Each college/ university has policies that determine what AP exams are acceptedand what scores are counted. For example a university may accept a 3 for credit in an English AP exam, but requirea 4 on a Calculus exam for credit. Students should check college catalogs for policies/AP requirements. High schoolcounseling offices usually have this information available to students.There are many Advanced Placement courses offered. (The courses are developed by the College Board.) There are“33 half-year and full-year courses in 19 different AP subject matters” according to the College Board.Advanced Placement tests are in the following subjects:Art- Art History, Studio Drawing, Studio Art 2-D Design, Studio Art 3-D DesignBiologyCalculus- Calculus AB, Calculus BCChemistryComputer Science- Computer Science A, Computer Science ABEconomics- Microeconomics, MacroeconomicsEnglish- Language and Composition, Literature and CompositionEnvironmental ScienceFrenchGermanGovernment & Politics- Comparative, United StatesHistory- European, United States, WorldHuman GeographyLatin- Literature, VegilMusic TheoryPhysics- Physics B, Physics c (Mechanics), Physics C (Electricity and Magnetism)PsychologySpanish- Language, LiteratureStatisticsAre AP courses difficult?FAQ’s answered by the College Board (www.collegeboard.org)AP courses are usually more demanding than regular high schools courses. Most AP classes are comparable to firstyearcollege courses, so they aren’t easy, but they aren’t impossible either.Why should I take an AP course?The extra effort and time you’ll put into an AP course are definitely worth it. Consider these benefits:• You’ll have the opportunity to study a subject in-depth, at the college level, so you’ll be more prepared for collegework.• If you receive a qualifying grade on an AP exam, you may be eligible for advance placement or course creditsat the vast majority of colleges and universities in the United States.• More than 1400 institutions in the U.S. alone grant a full year’s credit to students with satisfactory grades onenough AP exams. It’s called “sophomore standing”.Ask your high school counselor about the AP program at your school.20