1. February 13, 2013

2.  Increase college readiness skills  Stand out in the college admissions process  Broaden your intellectual horizons  Potential to earn college credits (save money on tuition)  Develop confidence, and learn the study habits and time management skills essential for success in college

3.  Advanced Placement Program ® (AP ® ) courses are college-level courses offered in high school. AP courses reflect what is taught in top introductory college courses  At the end of course, students take AP Exams— standardized exams that measure how well students have mastered college-level course work.  Students who do well on AP Exams can earn credit and/or placement into advanced courses in college.

4.  Colleges rank “Grades in college prep courses” and “Strength of curriculum” as the top two factors in the admission decision.*  College Admissions Officer – “We look favorable on students who have taken AP courses. The presence of AP courses is a sign that a student has chosen to challenge him/herself.” *2009 State of College Admission, NACAC

5. AP courses typically demand more of students than regular or honors courses.  Classes tend to be fast-paced and cover more material than typical high school classes.  More time, inside and outside of the classroom, is required to complete lessons, assignments and homework.  AP teachers expect their students to think critically, analyze and synthesize facts and data, weigh competing perspectives, and write clearly and persuasively.

6. More than 3,200 colleges and universities offer credit or advanced placement for qualifying AP Exam scores. This includes more than 90 percent of four-year U.S. colleges and universities.  Credit: Students earn points toward their college degrees  Advanced placement: Students can skip introductory courses, enter higher-level classes, and/or fulfill general education requirements.

7. College credit earned through AP Exams allows students to move into upper-level college courses sooner, pursue a double major, and gain time to study and travel abroad. “As a freshman, I was able to skip general education requirements and head straight into the higher-level classes I wanted to take. Taking AP Exams literally saved me semesters of time.” – Brent Wiese, University of Iowa

8. A recent study* showed that students who earned a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Exam had higher first-year college grade point averages and were more likely to return for the second year of college than non-AP students of similar ability. “One of the best standard predictors of academic success at Harvard is performance on Advanced Placement Examinations.” – William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid, Harvard University *Krista Mattern, Emily Shaew, and Xinhui Xiong, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes” (2009), The College Board

9.  English Literature and Composition (11 th Grade) 1 credit  United States History (11 th and 12 th Grade) 1 credit  Calculus (11 th and 12 th Grade) 1 credit  Advanced Calculus (11 th and 12 th Grade) 1 credit  Computer Science (11 th and 12 th Grade).5 credit  Statistics (11 th and 12 th Grade) 1 credit  Biology (10 th, 11 th, and 12 th Grade) 1 credit  Chemistry (11 th and 12 th Grade) 1 credit  Human Geography (9 th Grade only).5 credit  World History (10 th Grade only) 1 credit  Economics (11 th and 12 th Grade).5 credit  Psychology (11 th and 12 th Grade).5 credit

10.  Semester long courses for juniors and seniors Currently offered in fall and spring semester Students prefer to take the courses in the spring  Concurrent AP Microeconomics/AP Psychology A/B schedule with classes on alternating days throughout the entire school year  Single Classes still offered  Students registering for both will be given the option to take the classes concurrently or independently -5228 AP Psychology split -5229 AP Microeconomics split

11. CIS University of Minnesota-Twin Cities  American Democracy in a Changing World  Introduction to Literature  Intermediate German CE Anoka Ramsey Community College  Environmental Science  General Physics

12.  Eligible students  Eligible institutions  Student requirements and responsibilities  Courses and credits  Not eligible for Honors credits or weighted grades  Points to consider Transportation Part time - matching high school and college schedule  Students must schedule an appointment with their counselor for more information  Put course #8039 in alternates on registration form

13.  Prerequisites Advanced Placement – As listed in registration book Anoka Ramsey – Decile level and ___ Accuplacer Test University of Minnesota – Decile level PSEO – College specific entrance requirements  Enrollment Expectations Factors to consider Requirements Procedures

14. 11 th Grade American History OR AP US History 1 credit American Literature OR AP English Lit. 1 credit Math 1 credit Science elective(s) - 2 additional credits needed for graduation during grades 11 and 12 including 1 credit of chemistry or physics Healthy Living -.5 credit if not completed Fine arts – 1 credit if not completed

15. 12 th Grade Government & Citizenship.5 credit OR CIS Democracy.5 credit Economics & Political Science.5 credit OR AP Economics.5 credit World Literature 1&2 1 credit OR CIS Literature.5 credit AND English elective.5 credit Science elective(s) if not completed – a total of 3 credits needed for graduation Math if needed Healthy Living -.5 credit if not completed Fine arts 1 credit if not completed

16.  Advanced Placement and college level courses at Centennial High School are not simply honors level high school courses.  They require students to be self-directed, responsible, and willing to spend time outside of school studying.  You have more hours of homework when you take these courses than you have with regular and honors courses. You must decide how that additional study time requirement fits with your school, home, church, and social activities.

17.  See the proposed schedule worksheet and ask yourself the following questions. How much time do I spend each week on school activities? How much time do I spend each week on outside of school activities? How much time do I currently spend doing my homework each day? How much time am I willing and able to spend doing my homework next year if I add additional challenge to my schedule?

18. Can I just “try out” an Advanced Placement or College in the Schools class and then drop it later? No, registering for a class is a commitment to take the class for the entire semester or year. http://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap?ep_ch=PR&e p_mid=10674414&ep_rid=30943447

19.  Choose thoughtfully  Schedule changes Questions If you have questions, please see your counselor or Mrs. Christiansen for additional information.