1. An Introduction to the Advanced Placement Program®
Brandywine High School
AP Coordinator: Lisa Street, School Counselor

2. Welcome
Brandywine High School is committed to every student’s success. We believe access to rigorous course work such as Advanced Placement® (AP®) plays an important role in that success. Jot down questions as we go and we’ll have time to answer them at the end.
Presenter Notes:
Some of you may be familiar with our program and for many of you this will be new information. Our program continues to grow and evolve, so we hope you’ll find this information helpful.
This is your meeting so as we go through the information, please jot down your questions and I’ll stop periodically to answer them.

3. What We'll Cover What are Advanced Placement® Courses? The Benefits
AP® Exams
AP Capstone Diploma & AP Distinctions
What Is It Like to Take AP classes?
Next Steps: Help Your Child Make the Best Choices
Q & A
Teacher Forum in the Cafeteria
Presenter reviews agenda with attendees, makes sure everyone can see the screen, hear, etc.
Presenter asks for questions prior to launching the next part of the presentation.

4. What Are Advanced Placement® Courses?

5. Advanced Placement ®: The Basics
AP® courses are college-level courses offered in high school. Overseen by College Board which is also responsible for the PSAT and SAT.
Courses reflect what is taught in top introductory college courses
Students take AP Exams at the end of the course in May, measuring their mastery of college-level work
A score of 3 or higher on an AP Exam can typically earn students college credit and/or placement into advanced courses in college
Presenter can add to this information with the following points:
Advanced Placement® is a program developed and overseen by the College Board, the not-for-profit organization that is responsible for the PSAT/NMSQT®, SAT®, and other programs and services in college readiness and college success that help more than seven million students each year prepare for a successful transition to college.

6. Our AP® Courses
AP Capstone: AP Seminar (grade 10 ELA, grade 11 elective), AP Research*
Arts: Studio Art
English: English Language and Composition (11th), English Literature and Composition (12th)
History and Social Sciences: Psychology, United States Government and Politics, United States History, World History
Mathematics: Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics
Sciences: Biology, Chemistry*, Physics 1: Algebra-Based, Physics C: Mechanics
World Languages: French Language and Culture, Spanish Language and Culture
Presenter will highlight courses in each content area

7. Our AP Courses by Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade AP Seminar
AP Research
AP World History
AP English Literature & Comp.
AP Biology
AP English Language & Comp.
AP Calculus AB or BC
AP Calculus AB
AP Statistics
AP Chemistry
AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based
AP US History
AP Physics C: Mechanics
AP Psychology
AP US Government & Politics
AP Spanish or French Language
AP Studio Art

8. AP® at Brandywine High School
76% of students enrolled in an AP course in the 2016 school year took the exam.
In the 2016 school year, 148 students took a total of 244 exams
We work with Concord High School and Mount Pleasant High School to offer their students a place to take exams when enrollment is too low at their school. We also open our school to local Home Schooled students so they have access to take AP exams as well.
Presenter can provide stats (if available) about the growth of the school’s AP program.
AP Scholars information [if needed]:

9. AP®: The Benefits

10. AP®: The Benefits
Students learn rigorous college-level content and skills
Taking AP is valued in the college admission process
Opportunity to earn credits and advanced placement in college

11. AP® from the College Admissions Perspective
85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions* with colleges ranking a student’s grades and strength of curriculum as the top two factors in admission decisions
AP courses tell college admission officials that students are challenging themselves and preparing for the rigors they'll encounter in their college careers
Taking an AP course helps students build critical thinking skills, confidence, and the essential time management and study skills needed for college success
Nationally, research shows that students who score a 3 or higher on an AP Exam typically earn higher grade point averages in college and have higher graduation rates than their non-AP peers**
*Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc., March **2009, The College Board, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes"
Presenters are encouraged to include the AP® policies and statements of their own local and state universities where applicable to reinforce the importance of AP classes in the competitive college admission process.

12. AP® Helps Students Graduate on Time & Save Money
Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely to complete a college degree on time.* Only 1 in 4 college students completes a bachelor’s degree in four years so graduating on time represents a significant savings on the cost of college.
The average cost of college for a single year is $23,410** for in-state schools (tuition, fees, room/board, misc. expenses). Not having to spend that same amount of money for a 5th or 6th year saves the student and their family both time and money.
*College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences, The College Board, **The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2014, Figure 1
Presenter can add additional bullets on the college admission/college graduation rates at your school for former students in your AP courses.

13. AP® Expands Students’ Options
When students earn college credit through AP Exams, their options and opportunities expand:
Move to upper-level college courses sooner
Pursue a double major or join a 5-year Bachelors/Masters cohort
Gain time to study and travel abroad

14. AP®: A More Engaging Learning Experience
AP courses challenge students to work and participate at a higher level:
Opportunities to explore topics in depth
More time in and out of the classroom required to complete assignments and projects
High expectations for critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, evidence, multiple perspectives, and clear written and verbal communications

15. AP® Exams

16. AP® Exams – Administered Worldwide in May
Exams are on set dates and typically run 2–3 hours each including:
Multiple-choice questions
Free-response items such as essays, problem solving, document-based questions and oral response
Typically, two exams are administered per day unless they are shorter in length.

17. AP® Exam Fees The exam fee for 2017 is $93 per exam.
Assistance is available for eligible students with financial need:
The College Board offers a fee reduction per exam for eligible students with financial need. The State of Delaware provides additional assistance so there is no cost for any exam for students who receive Free Lunch, Reduced Lunch, or is in the AVID program.
Consent Forms must be completed before exam registration to verify each student’s fee waiver status in order for the student’s exam costs to be covered.

18. Credit and Placement Opportunities
Each college and university has its own policies regarding AP® credit and placement so the College Board offers information about AP credit at thousands of college and universities at

19. AP® and our Local Higher Education Community
Scores of 3 or higher are accepted at Delaware colleges/universities. UD and Del Tech require scores higher than a 3 for some courses.
A maximum of 7 college credits are issued per passing AP exam score for UD, and Del Tech may issue up to 5 credits depending on the course and score.
The top AP exams for which students are awarded credit by local Delaware colleges/universities are: English Literature & Composition, English Language & Composition, Psychology, and Calculus.
Cost of one 3-credit course (not including books, fees, room/board, financial aid): Delaware State University $840 Delaware Technical & Community College $419 University of Delaware $1923 Wesley College $3205 Wilmington University $1062

20. AP Capstone Diploma
AP Capstone Diploma - granted to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in both the AP Seminar and AP Research courses, and also earn scores of 3 or higher on four additional AP Exams of their choice.
AP Seminar and Research Certificate - granted to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in both the AP Seminar and AP Research courses.
If you earn the AP Capstone Diploma™ or AP Seminar and Research Certificate™, you will receive a printed award certificate in the mail.

21. AP Student Distinctions
Students can view and print their certificate online, and the award is noted on AP score reports sent to colleges of the student’s choice.
National AP Scholar - students in the U.S. who receive an average score of at least 4 on eight or more AP Exams.
State AP Scholar - granted to the one male and one female student in each state with scores of 3 or higher on the greatest number of AP Exams, and then the highest average score (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken. Certificates will be sent out by the Department of Education Secretary.
AP Scholar with Distinction - students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and on five or more exams.
AP Scholar with Honor - students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and on four or more exams.
AP Scholar - students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more exams.

22. What is it like to take AP®?

23. AP® Myths & Realities Myth Reality
AP courses are for students who always get good grades.
AP courses are for any students who are academically prepared and motivated to take college-level courses.
AP courses are too stressful.
It's no secret that AP courses are challenging, but the support you receive from your classmates and teachers can help you manage the work load.
I don't think I will score high enough on the AP Exam to get college credit.
You don’t have to score a 5 as many colleges grant credit and/or placement based on a score of 3 or higher. Review the policies of your schools to be sure.
Taking AP courses could hurt my GPA.
Each AP course gets 1 bonus quality point added to the weighted GPA. Taking AP courses shows colleges that you’re willing to challenge yourself academically.
I can’t take AP because no one has recommended me.
If you think you’re ready to take an AP course, then you’re ready to advocate for yourself — just talk to your current subject area teacher or your school counselor.
Presenter: This is a good time to address any other “myths” or misperceptions that you hear from your students about the AP program.

24. Our School Offers Support for AP® Students
Our school offers these resources and programs to support our AP students:
Peer Tutoring will be offered by the National Honor Society and other academic Honor Societies
After school help sessions with your AP teacher
After school availability in the Library to work on group projects, have access to a computer, or to study. Transportation is provided at 4:30pm.
AP Exam study books are available in the library
Khan Academy is an online free resource that can help prepare students for the SAT and some AP exams

25. Next Steps: Help Your Child Make the Best Choices

26. AP®: Start the Conversation
Here are some questions to encourage your child to think about:
What AP course is right for me?
Before you talk to a teacher or counselor, think about:
Which courses do you enjoy most in school?
In which subjects do you excel? Is AP offered in that area?
What college majors are you considering?
What colleges are on your list and do they expect you to take AP courses for admission?
Are you willing to put forth the time commitment to complete summer work and be successful in college level course(s)?
Presenter: Encourage families to talk openly and realistically with students about the time commitment, challenges, etc., without exaggerating the difficulties. Many students take multiple AP courses and thrive. Others find better success with one or two AP courses, depending on their other school, work and home commitments.

27. AP®: Resources 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: Khan Academy
AP credit policy information from colleges and universities:
Presenter: Encourage families to explore these resources on their own and with their children as they’re researching college opportunities and options.

28. Next Steps: Cafeteria for AP Teacher Forum
Questions and Answers
Next Steps: Cafeteria for AP Teacher Forum