1. An Introduction to the Advanced Placement Program®
Moe
Shrewsbury High School
Susie Eriole, AP Coordinator
Maureen Monopoli, Assistant Principal for Curriculum

2. What We'll Cover What are Advanced Placement® Courses? The Benefits
AP® Exams
What Is It Like to Take AP?
Next Steps: Help Your Child Make the Best Choices
Q & A
Moe

3. What Are Advanced Placement® Courses?
Moe

4. Advanced Placement ®: The Basics
AP® courses are college-level courses offered in high school
Courses = Introductory college courses
Students take AP Exams at the end of the course => It is expected that all students take the exam
A score of 3 or higher (Placement, College Credit)
Moe
AP® courses are college-level courses offered in high school
Courses reflect what is taught in top introductory college courses
Students take AP Exams at the end of the course, measuring their mastery of college-level work. It is expected that all students take the exam
A score of 3 or higher on an AP exam can typically earn students college credit and/or placement into advanced courses in college

5. Our AP® Courses Arts: Music Theory, Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio
English: English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition
History and Social Sciences: Human Geography, Psychology, United States History
Mathematics: Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics
Technology: Computer Science A
Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics 1
World languages: French Language and Culture, Latin, Spanish Language, Chinese
VHS offerings: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Government and Politics
Moe-classes we have offered, or will offer

6. AP Requirements Most courses require prerequisites
Summer work is required and due the first day of school.
Students are expected to remain in the course all year.
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
Moe

7. AP® at Shrewsbury High School
# of Students
# of Exams
# of tests 3+
% of tests 3+
2018
383
775
713
93%
2017
357
668
610
92%
2016
289
546
505
94%
2015
350
670
605
Moe
This year is 893 exams and 423 students—a jump of 115 more exams and 71 more students

8. AP®: The Benefits
Susie

9. AP®: The Benefits
Students learn rigorous college-level content and study skills; Opportunities to explore topics in depth
Builds critical thinking, confidence, essential time management skills
AP courses are interesting and rewarding academic experiences
Opportunity to earn valuable credit and placement in college
Susie
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

10. AP® Exams
Susie

11. AP® Exams
AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on set dates in the first two weeks of May each year.
Exams are approximately 3 hours and include:
Multiple-choice questions
Free-response items such as essays, problem solving, document-based questions and oral response
Susie

12. AP® Exam Fees The exam fee for 2019-2020 is $115 per exam.
BIG CHANGE! Exams will be ordered by October 1, 2019
Assistance is available for eligible students with financial need on Free/Reduced Lunch (Please speak with Ms. Eriole for more details)
Potential to save on college costs (A 3 credit-hour course at a state university => $1107)
Susie
The College Board, creators of Advanced Placement, recently announced significant changes to the AP exam ordering process, deadlines, late fees and cancellation fees that will be mandated for all schools and all students in the school year.  -Typically, AP Exams are ordered in January or February of each school year. Next year, the timeline will change. All students will order their exams by October 1, 2019.
-All students who want to take an AP exam and who register after Nov 15, 2019, will be assessed $40.00/exam late fee.
-In addition, a $40.00/exam cancellation fee will be assessed for any exam order canceled after Nov 15, 2019.
-Requests for exams made after November 15 cannot be guaranteed.

13. What is it like to take AP®?
Susie

14. Students…In Their Own Words
“Just don’t take it for college, GPA, or prestige. Take them because you enjoy the subject. These are tough classes. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself asking, “Why??!!.”
“If you want to dedicate yourself to reading the text and taking your own notes, AP will be difficult for you. We are tested on things not reviewed or taught in class.”
“The workload does get easier to manage as the year goes on. Don’t expect A’s and B’s right away – the grades will come when you figure out how the class works and how you will need to prepare.”
Susie

15. Students…In Their Own Words cont.
“The true challenge is the speed at which you are expected to process the information.”
“Think of it this way: If I take AP, I’m going to lose an hour of sleep a night. 2 AP’s, two hours. Unless you already go to bed at 3am, you’re all set”
“This has been the best academic experience I ever had.”
Susie

16. Parents: What Can You Do?
Be realistic about grading, workload, and demand in schedule Take into consideration teacher recommendation Encourage your student to pursue AP courses that interest them Support and encourage your student throughout the year

17. How will you spend your time?
AP Course Time Commitment Calculator
AP Course
Approximate amount of homework per week*
Science
Biology
3-4 hours
Chemistry
4-6 hours
Physics
4-5 hours
Environmental Science
2-3 hours
English
English Language
English Literature
4+ hours
Math
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Statistics
Foreign Language
Chinese
French Language
Latin
Spanish Language
Social Sciences
Economics (VHS only)
Gov’t & Politics (VHS only)
Human Geography
US History
Psychology
Art
Studio Art: Drawing/Painting
3 hours
Instructional Technology
Computer Science A
Total:
24 hours in a day
-8 hours for sleep
-7 hours in school
9 hours in a day
9 hours x 5 school days = 45 hours
45 hours in which to do other homework, participate in extra curriculars, hold a job, be a good human, play a sport, spend time with family, socialize, relax, and gaze out the window.
How will you spend your time?
*Times might double if a student is absent and making up work
*Missed classes can reduce a student’s ability to master the complex material contained in these classes
*This does not factor in other classes, activities, a job, family commitments, sports, socializing, and SLEEP!
Susie
-At first, this didn’t seem so bad to me
-If you’re a student that puts off work till the weekend, potentially doing 4-5 hours of homework on one subject
-If you are a busy student who gets home at 9pm from activities, looking at one hour a night on top of work for 6 other classes

18. Next Steps: Help Your Student Make the Best Choices

19. AP®: Start the Conversation
Here are some questions to engage your student to think about:
What AP course is right for me?
Which courses do you enjoy most in school? In which subjects do you excel?
How do you look to balance your academic and co-curricular schedule?
What steps do I need to take?
Speak with a student who has taken an AP course.
Become familiar with resources (Study group, discussion with teacher)
Check College Board website for specific course information
Talk with Counselor about balancing schedule
Susie
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.
What can I do next to help me prepare for AP?
Think about consistency in work throughout the year
Setting goals
Talk with current AP teacher, review text book
College board website has course overview and sample multiple choice and free response question.

20. Questions and Answers