The Advanced Placement The Advanced Placement ProgramProgram

Louis D. Brandeis High SchoolLouis D. Brandeis High School

AP Facts and InformationAP Facts and Information

• The AP Program offers more than 30 The AP Program offers more than 30 courses and exams. courses and exams.

• Nearly 18,000 schools worldwide Nearly 18,000 schools worldwide participate in the AP Program. participate in the AP Program.

• 28.3 percent of U.S. public high 28.3 percent of U.S. public high school students in the class of 2010 school students in the class of 2010 took an AP Exam at some point in took an AP Exam at some point in high school.high school.

AP Facts and InformationAP Facts and Information

• More than 90 percent of the nation's More than 90 percent of the nation's four-year colleges and universities have four-year colleges and universities have an AP policy that grants incoming an AP policy that grants incoming students credit, placement or both for students credit, placement or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. Universities qualifying AP Exam scores. Universities in more than 60 countries recognize AP in more than 60 countries recognize AP scores in the admission process and/or scores in the admission process and/or award credit and placement for award credit and placement for qualifying scores.qualifying scores.

AP Facts and InformationAP Facts and Information

• In 2010, more than 3,800 colleges In 2010, more than 3,800 colleges and universities accepted qualifying and universities accepted qualifying AP Exam scores for credit and/or AP Exam scores for credit and/or placement.placement.

• In 2010, more than 1.8 million In 2010, more than 1.8 million students worldwide took more than students worldwide took more than 3.2 million AP Exams. 3.2 million AP Exams.

San Antonio Express NewsSan Antonio Express NewsFebruary 10, 2008February 10, 2008

“ “According to that study, taking According to that study, taking difficult classes, especially math, difficult classes, especially math, may be the single most important may be the single most important predictor of how well a student predictor of how well a student will do in college. Of those will do in college. Of those students who took Calculus in students who took Calculus in high school, for example, 83 high school, for example, 83 percent earned a bachelor’s percent earned a bachelor’s degree, compared with 39% who degree, compared with 39% who only made it through Algebra II.”only made it through Algebra II.”

Brandeis High School’s AP Brandeis High School’s AP ProgramProgram

• Brandeis offers over 50 pre-AP and Brandeis offers over 50 pre-AP and AP coursesAP courses

• Tests scored 3 and above indicate Tests scored 3 and above indicate potential college credit given for potential college credit given for examexam

Benefits of the AP Benefits of the AP Program for StudentsProgram for Students

•Students earn college credit and/or Students earn college credit and/or placement at over 3200 colleges placement at over 3200 colleges and universities if they successfully and universities if they successfully complete an AP Examinationcomplete an AP Examination

•Students gain college-level Students gain college-level analytical and study skillsanalytical and study skills

•Students gain academic confidenceStudents gain academic confidence

WHAT COUNTS IN COLLEGE WHAT COUNTS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONSADMISSIONS

7

23

54

33

61

78

0 20 40 60 80 100

Work/School activity

Essay

Overall grades

Class rank

SAT scores

Courses selected

% citing "considerably important"2004 NACAC Survey College Admissions Officials

The AP ExamsThe AP Exams

•Administered in May

•Approximately three hours long

•Composed of multiple-choice and free-response questions

•Free-response questions graded by college professors and AP teachers in June

Advanced Placement Advanced Placement ExaminationsExaminationsInterpretation of GradesInterpretation of Grades

5 — Extremely Well 5 — Extremely Well QualifiedQualified

4 — Well Qualified4 — Well Qualified

3 — Qualified3 — Qualified

2 — Possibly Qualified2 — Possibly Qualified

1 — No Recommendation1 — No Recommendation

Who Receives APWho Receives AP®® Grades?Grades?

•AP Grade Reports are sent in July AP Grade Reports are sent in July to students, high schools, and to students, high schools, and colleges designated by individual colleges designated by individual students.students.

•High school principals receive a High school principals receive a special AP Grade Report in special AP Grade Report in August for all classes in which five August for all classes in which five or more students completed the or more students completed the AP Examination. AP Examination.

Cost of AP ExamsCost of AP Exams

Current enrolled students $16.00

Free and Reduced Lunch $ 8.00

Most students take five or six years, and sometimes even longer, to earn their bachelor’s degrees at public colleges and universities. Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely to graduate in four years. A 2008 study found that AP students had better four-year graduation rates than those who did not take AP. For example, graduation rates for AP English Literature students were 62 percent higher than graduation rates for those who took other English courses in high school. Because more than 3,200 colleges and universities in the United States offer credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying AP scores, AP students have the flexibility to double major or study abroad without putting at risk graduation in four years.

The AP EffectThe AP Effect

Students are…Students are…• better prepared academically.better prepared academically.• more likely to choose challenging more likely to choose challenging

majors.majors.• likely to complete more college-level likely to complete more college-level

work.work.• likely to perform significantly better than likely to perform significantly better than

students who did not take AP courses.students who did not take AP courses.• more likely to exercise leadership.more likely to exercise leadership.• more likely to graduate with a double more likely to graduate with a double

major.major.

Email from Stacey –former NISD AP and Dual Credit StudentEmail from Stacey –former NISD AP and Dual Credit Student

Since you don't have to claim all of your AP credits, I claimed onlythe ones that were toward my major: 22 ($12833). That's a semester and a half worth of courses. By the time spring registration came around, I was able to register earlier than other first-year students and get the classes, professors, and times that I wanted. No more 8:00 classes! =) Also, I have 19 credits that I did not claim, and as it turns out, I may go back and claim some of those credits in order to take higher-level biology courses (recall I am a Mechanical Engineering major and do not need biology, but am curious as to see my alternative options).

It's great knowing that I don't have to take basic courses here.College courses are harder, more time consuming, and faster-paced than high school classes. Not having to take basic courses like Rhetoric, Literature, and Economics allows me to focus on the classes toward my major, such as Computer Programming, Engineering Physics, and Differential Calculus.

Students who take longer to graduate from a public college or university typically pay between $8,000 and $19,000 for each additional year. The typical college cost per year for a four-year public institution is $7,662 for in-state students and $18,529 for out-of-state students.2

Taking AP increases eligibility for scholarships and makes candidates more attractive to colleges. 31 percent of colleges and universities consider astudent’s AP experience when making decisions about which students will receive scholarships.3 85 percent of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admissions decisions.4

“We often observe a discernible difference between students without any AP experience, who typically only devote a few hours to homework each week, and AP students, who have had to develop the time management skills and the discipline to do the type of time-consuming intellectual work that is required to be successful in college.” ─ Spencer A. Benson Director, Center for Teaching Excellence

Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of Maryland