Advanced Placement North Atlanta Now Mrs. Deidre King, AP Coordinator Mr. Curtis Douglass, Principal January 25, 2015
Agenda Why Advanced Placement? North Atlanta High School s Advanced Placement Highlights Advanced Placement Course Offerings Advanced Placement Examinations Enrollment Guidelines and Pre-Requisites Expectations Student and Parent Preparation Resources
Advanced Placement Mission Statement The College Board s mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. We are a not-for-profit membership organization committed to excellence and equity in education.
Why Advanced Placement? Students who participate in AP courses develop skills and content knowledge that prepare them for success in college and their chosen careers. Students who achieve a 3 or higher on AP Exams are eligible to receive college credit and can begin studies in their college majors sooner. Students who take AP courses are far more likely to graduate from college in four years than their peers who do not take the course.
AP from the College Admissions Perspective Eighty-five percent of selective colleges and universities report that a student s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions.* Colleges rank grades in college-preparatory courses and strength of curriculum as the two top factors in the admission decision. AP courses tell college admission officials that students are challenging themselves and preparing for the rigors they'll encounter in their college careers.
North Atlanta s AP Highlights During the 2013-2014 school year, sixty-one percent of our AP examinees scored 3 or higher. We met the global average and exceeded the state s average which was 56%. Last school year, we tested 297 students in comparison to 68 students that tested in 2013. Last school year, we administered 383 examinations in comparison to the 77 examinations that were administered in 2013. We showed gains in seven of the eight content areas that having been tested before.
Advanced Placement Course Offerings For the 2015-2016 school year, North Atlanta High School will offer the following Advanced Placement Courses: Biology, Calculus AB, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Human Geography, Language and Composition, Literature and Composition, Physics 1, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, Studio Art 2D, Studio Art 3D, World History, US History For Advanced Placement virtual opportunities in Atlanta Public Schools, visit http://www.atlantapublicschools.us/cms/lib/ga01000924/centricity/ domain/7414/ava/ava.html
AP Exams Exams are typically 2 3 hours and include: Multiple-choice questions Free-response items such as essays, problem solving, document-based questions and oral response
AP Exam Scores 5 4 3 2 1 Extremely Well Qualified Well Qualified Qualified Possibly Qualified No Recommendation Scores will be available directly through the College Board in July.
Advanced Placement Examinations Administered in May of each year according to the examination schedule published by the College Board, and students should be prepared to take their examinations on the designated dates. Late examinations are not permissible unless the extenuating circumstance qualifies for one of the College Board s outlined exceptions. Examination fees are determined each year by the College Board. An additional processing fee is permissible and may be determined by the school. Exams for the 2014-2015 exams are $100.00. Students who receive free or reduced lunch are eligible for a fee reduction.
Advanced Placement Examinations Testing accommodations must be requested directly and approved by the College Board. Questions concerning the process for requesting accommodations may be directed to the school s SSD Coordinator. It takes approximately seven weeks to process an accommodation request, and the deadline for request is typically in February. Students who earn a qualifying score on an examination may be eligible for college credit.
Credit and Placement Opportunities Each college and university has its own policies regarding AP credit and placement. The College Board offers information about AP credit at thousands of college and universities at www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy. Search by school name or alphabetically Data for each school includes a direct link to that school s Web page detailing AP credit and placement policies A statement from the college or university about its AP policy
Advanced Placement Enrollment Guidelines North Atlanta High School Tier I: The student demonstrates Advanced Placement Potential according to performance on the PSAT. Indicates AP courses for which students might be suited Identifies students who are likely to score 3 or higher on a given AP examination Promotes equity by helping the school identify candidates Helps to increase enrollment in AP courses and presents an opportunity to add courses
Advanced Placement Enrollment Guidelines North Atlanta High School Tier II: The student has a 90% average or higher (at least honor s level) in the content area for the course in which he/she is seeking enrollment. Student has proven academic performance in the requested content area. Tier III: The student submits an application to request enrollment. The application must be accompanied by a teacher recommendation and transcript. Applications will be available February 2, 2015. The deadline for submission will be February 27, 2015. Student shows interest and desire to enroll in Advanced Placement coursework.
Advanced Placement Pre-Requisites Biology Courses: Biology and Chemistry Calculus Course: Pre-Calculus Chemistry Courses: Chemistry and Advanced Algebra
Advanced Placement Pre-Requisites Environmental Science Courses: One year of a life science (such as Biology) and one year of a physical science (such as Chemistry) Human Geography *For rising 9 th graders, Social Studies and Reading data from high stakes tests will be considered. Language and Composition Pre-Requisite: Read and comprehend college-level texts and appropriately apply conventions of Standard English when writing. Courses: 9 th Grade Literature and Composition; 10 th Grade World Literature and Composition or equivalent high school English Language Arts courses
Advanced Placement Pre-Requisites Literature and Composition Pre-Requisite: Read and comprehend college-level texts and appropriately apply conventions of Standard English when writing. Courses: 9 th Grade Literature and Composition, 10 th Grade World Literature and Composition, and American Literature and Composition or equivalent high school English Language Arts courses Physics Courses: Geometry and Advanced Algebra (may be concurrently enrolled in this course)
Advanced Placement Pre-Requisites Spanish Language and Culture Courses: Spanish IV or intermediate or pre-advanced coursework including Spanish 3H (with teacher recommendation), Spanish for Native Speakers Level I (with teacher recommendation) or Spanish for Native Speakers Level II (no teacher recommendation required) Statistics Course: Advanced Algebra
Advanced Placement Pre-Requisites Studio Art: 2D and 3D Pre-Requisite: Prior experiences in studio art courses that address conceptual, technical, and critical thinking skills along with teacher recommendation. US History Courses: American Government and Civics, World Geography and World History World History Pre-Requisite: Be able to read college level text and appropriately apply the conventions of Standard English when writing. Courses: American Government and Civics, World Geography
Advanced Placement Expectations Take the AP examination(s) Make a year-long commitment to successfully completing the course Attend class daily with all assignments Attend tutorial sessions Spend time beyond the normal school day studying and preparing for class
How Does a Student Prepare for Advanced Placement? Complete recommended prerequisites Character: curiosity, creativity, and commitment Academic preparation: willingness to work hard Motivation: determination to succeed
How Can You Assist Your Child? Ensure that you are communicating with your child regarding upcoming assignments and tests. Provide your child with a quiet study area with the necessary resources and materials. Require your child to attend tutorials with their AP teachers. Encourage, Encourage, Encourage Attend conferences and communicate regularly with your child s AP teacher(s).
Additional Opportunities to Learn about AP Small Group Parent and Coordinator Meetings beginning mid-february in conjunction with IB. *These dates will be published in the Warrior Weekly, school website, and school marquis. Small Group Student Meetings *These meetings will be hosted throughout this semester for interested students. Advanced Placement Rally Week February 9 th February 12 th *February 13 th is a student holiday.
AP : Resources Worth Exploring for Students and Families AP information: apstudent.collegeboard.org College and Career Planning: bigfuture.org Personalized feedback, practice and college planning based on your PSAT/ NMSQT results: My College QuickStart www.collegeboard.org/quickstart AP credit policy information from colleges and universities: www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy
My Contact Information Mrs. Deidre King dking@atlanta.k12.ga.us 404.802.4718 (direct line)