Advanced Placement at Fort Collins High School Thirty-five years of excellence in AP Instruction
Welcome to Fort Collins High School, where excellence is expected! Fort Collins High School is committed to the success of all students, during their high school years, and as they transition to post secondary institutions. We strive to provide our students with exceptional post secondary opportunities within the high school setting by offering academically rigorous coursework in a wide variety of content areas. Our Advanced Placement (AP ) program plays an important role in that success.
AP at FCHS Students select courses based on their strength areas. Nearly 1/3 of our student body is enrolled in an AP course throughout their high school career. Our AP program aligns and supports other building-wide initiatives: Gifted and Talented, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), Bioscience Career Academy. Seniors can receive the FCHS Advanced Placement Endorsed Diploma.
AP at FCHS: Excellent results from excellent preparation May 2017 Exam Results 424 students took 790 exams FCHS % score 3+ -- 83.3% vs. Colorado 62.0% FCHS AP scholars 162/424 Average score 4.16 Class of 2017 35% scored a 3+ on at least one exam during their high school career. 2017-18 AP Enrollment Over 1/3 of FCHS students fill 1,183 seats in 23 different Advanced Placement classes (Comparative Government, German, French)
2017 AP Scores (Global vs. FCHS) Global Mean FCHS Mean Art 2D 3.42 4.50 Biology 2.90 3.24 Calculus AB 2.93 3.78 3.50 4.45 Calculus BC Chemistry 2.67 3.96 English Lang & Comp 2.77 3.68 Environmental Science 2.67 3.10 Human Geography 2.54 3.56 Macroeconomics 2.89 3.73 Music Theory 3.02 3.57 Psychology 3.06 3.76 Spanish Language 3.61 3.75 Statistics 2.72 3.63 US History 2.65 3.53
New Courses for 2018-19
AP Computer Science Principles https://youtu.be/s1vfrz4netg
Questions? See Pam Davidson after this presentation!
AP Capstone @ FCHS! Starting next year (2018-19) students in 11 th grade will be able to start the program. What an exciting opportunity!
What is AP Capstone?
Explore two to four relevant issues Develop and strengthen analytic and inquiry skills Evaluate arguments AP Seminar Specifics (11 th Grade) Pose solutions Collaborate & communicate Practice essay and technical writing skills Present findings to class (major presentation) Assessments Team project and presentation Individual essay and presentation End-of-course assessment by College Board
AP Seminar is a prerequisite Understand research methodology AP Research Specifics (12 th Grade) Access, analyze and synthesize information Apply scholarly understanding to real-world problems and issues Assessments 4000-5000 word research paper Presentation with oral defense
What are the desired outcomes of the AP Capstone Program? The student will be able to Okay what does this really mean? Research effectively Discuss/Debate intellectually learn about/understand about other perspectives Write a lengthy, thorough research paper Defend it with a presentation to their peers and mentors Your student will be approaching graduate school-level writing and dialogue in high school!
Questions? See Chris Lee after this presentation!
AP Pathways at FCHS Courses open to Freshmen Pre-AP English, Pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP World History AP Human Geography (advanced reading level) AP Computer Science Principles (no math prerequisite) AP Computer Science A (concurrent Algebra 2 or higher) AP Calculus (Pre-Calc prerequisite)
AP : The Benefits Students learn rigorous collegelevel content and skills Taking AP is valued in the college admission process AP courses are interesting and rewarding academic experiences Opportunity to earn valuable credit and placement in college Because AP courses are weighted (.01 per 5 credit class), a student s GPA is positively impacted.
The AP advantage at the university Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely to complete a college degree on time. Graduating in four years represents a significant savings on the cost of college. Only 1 in 4 college students completes a bachelor s degree in 4 years. The average cost of college for a single year is $21,500 for in-state schools When students earn college credit through AP Exams, their options and opportunities expand: Move to upper-level college courses sooner Pursue a double major Gain time to study and travel abroad
AP and our Higher Education Community CSU offers from 3 credits to 15 credits equivalency in coursework. Examples: AP Biology: 3 or 4 = Life 102 (4 credits) 5 = Life 102, Life 103 (8 credits) AP Psychology: 3, 4, or 5 = Psych 100 (3 credits) AP English Language: 3 or 4 = CO 130/150 (3 credits) 5 = CO 130 & 150 (6 credits) AP Calculus BC: 3,4, or 5 = 7 Math classes (13 credits) For 2017-18, 1 undergraduate credit (tuition) = $623. Each college and university has its own policies regarding AP credit and placement.
An FCHS Graduate s AP experience!
AP Exams AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on set dates in May each year. Exams are typically 3 hours and include: Multiple-choice questions Free-response items (essays, problem solving, document-based questions, oral response)
AP Exams: Fees and Accommodations The exam fee for 2017 is $94 per exam. Assistance is available for eligible students with financial need. Students with disabilities who have an IEP or a 504 will need to submit documentation to College Board through their FCHS counselor for approval of testing accommodations.
The AP-AVID Connection
What is it like to take AP? From the students perspective!