Advanced Placement

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Advanced Placement _at_

• West Forsyth High School

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What is the AP Program ?

• Academic courses centered on a rigorous,
  college-level curriculum designed by the College
  Board.
• Each course includes a rigorous end-of-course
  examination graded against national standards.

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Why take AP Courses?

• Students taking AP Courses in high school have
  an advantagethey are preparing for success in
  college by taking college-level courses while
  still in high school
• Explore advanced topics you like by studying in
  greater depth
• Develop advanced skills by forming disciplined
  study habits
• Build your confidence in your ability to succeed
  in college

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Benefits of the AP Program

• For Students
• Development of academic skills necessary for
  college success
• Increase in self-confidence, motivation, and
  academic orientation
• Academic rigor for competitive college admissions
• Potential college credit w/ AP Exam

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Benefits of the AP Program

• For Students AND Parents
• Opportunity to earn college credit or advanced
  college placement while in high school
• Possible tuition savings
• More flexibility in college course choices
• Possible early entry to graduate/professional
  schools

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What does the research say about college-bound
students who take AP ?

• Students who participate in AP
• outperform their peers when placed into advanced
  courses in college
• are more likely to take advanced courses in their
  AP subject areas in college
• are more likely to choose challenging majors
• are more likely to graduate with a double major
• are twice as likely to go into advanced study.

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AP and College Success

• Students who take AP courses AND exams are
  much more likely than their peers to complete a
  bachelors degree in four years or less.

• Source Camara, Wayne. (2003). College
  Persistence, Graduation, and Remediation. College
  Board Research Notes (RN-19). New York, NY
  College Board.

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What Counts in College Admissions ?
NACAC Survey College Admissions Officials
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Is AP the right choice for me am I ready for
AP ?
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Is AP the right choice for me?

• Students who are successful in AP courses tend
  to exhibit the following academic competencies in
  the classroom
• high interest in learning the subject (not just
  high grades)
• Strong communication skills (reading, writing
  speaking)
• Ability to process understand new information
  quickly
• A positive attitude about challenging academic
  work
• Ability to prioritize tasks manage time
  effectively

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Is AP the right choice for me?

• Students parents should evaluate readiness by
  looking at academic performance, not just
  academic ability.

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Is AP the right choice for me?

• High school AP courses are NOT an extension of
  the HORIZONS / Gifted Program.
• Students participating in the HORIZONS / Gifted
  Program are not necessarily ready for AP
  courses.

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Is AP the right choice for me?

• AP Courses are designed with the highly
  motivated,
• high-achieving student in mind.

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Successful AP students tend to be

• MOTIVATED Inspired to achieve at high levels
  in college level coursework
• DISCIPLINED Consistently dedicates time needed
  to prepare for class.
• DETERMINED Is not easily frustrated by
  challenging academic material.
• INTERESTED Enjoys learning active involvement
  in the classroom

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Am I ready to take an AP course ?

• AP courses are very challenging, and potentially
  overwhelming to high school students.
• Student academic preparedness is the MOST
  IMPORTANT factor to consider in the decision to
  take an AP course.

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Am I ready to take an AP course ?

• BEFORE registration, students parents should
• Talk to current teacher(s) in the subject area
  about your academic performance/readinessdoes
  your teacher recommend AP courses for you?
• Review your academic progress with your counselor
  and discuss the best AP course options for you
  based on performance, readiness interest.

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Am I ready to take an AP course ?

• BEFORE registration, students parents should
• Find out everything you can about the course.
  Look at the current course syllabi, course
  assignments homework on the school website.
• Talk to the teacher(s) of the AP course being
  considered. Get a feel for the teacher, course
  expectations, time commitment, amount of
  homework, etc.

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Am I ready to take an AP course ?

• Forsyth County Schools wants student parents to
  make informed decisions about AP courses.
• Our high schools provide this information to
  students parents through
• AP Potential
• Teacher Recommendations
• Course Information on school system websites

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What is AP Potential?

• AP Potential is a data analysis tool offered by
  the College Board and used by all Forsyth County
  high schools.
• Analysis of a students PSAT score that is an
  accurate reliable predictor of student
  potential to succeed in AP courses.

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Why is a teacher recommendation so strongly
recommended?

• TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS provide detailed
  information on a students academic preparedness
  to enter an AP course after evaluation of
  student academic performance, readiness
  interest.

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What if I dont have a teacher recommendation?

• The ultimate decision on signing up for an AP
  course is made by the parent student.
• Teacher recommendations are strongly recommended,
  but are NOT mandatory.
• Parents students can sign a waiver form to
  register for an AP course if not recommended by
  a teacher.

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What does the AP Waiver Form mean?

• The waiver form indicates that students parents
  have decided to register for an AP course
  without the recommendation of a teacher.
• Students parents must have a waiver form on
  file if students current teacher(s) do not
  recommend that he/she register for an AP course.
  

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What does the AP Waiver Form mean?

• The waiver form ONLY addresses the teacher
  recommendation, NOT course pre-requisite(s).
• Students must have completed ALL course
  pre-requisites identified in the Forsyth County
  High School Course Digest in order to register
  for an AP Course.

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• Forsyth County Schools has an
• OPEN ACCESS policy for AP courses.
• OPEN ACCESS means any student meeting course
  pre-requisites may choose to sign up for an AP
  course.

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How many AP courses should I take?
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How many AP courses should a student take?

• Students parents should make this decision
  after considering ALL of the following
• Past current academic performance
• Student academic readiness
• Student interest motivation
• Available time competing interests, including
  Home, church, extracurricular activities, job,
  community, social calendar

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How many AP courses should a student take?

• It is NOT recommended that students parents
  attempt to fill a students entire academic
  schedule with AP courses particularly in 9th
  10th grades.
• Most students are not ready for multiple AP
  courses and should be introduced gradually to
  the rigors challenges of college-level
  coursework.

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How many AP courses should a student take?

• Students parents must consider all of the
  demands on a students time when making this
  decision
• Academic schedule (7 period day)
• Home, church community
• Work
• Extra-curricular clubs, activities sports.
• Most students are not ready for multiple AP
  courses early in their high school careers
  especially if they are involved in activities
  that demand a lot of their time outside of the
  school day.

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AP Course Options Pre-requisites
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AP Math Options
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AP English Options
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AP Career / Technology Options
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AP Science Options
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AP Social Studies OptionsCore Courses
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AP Social Studies OptionsElective Courses
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AP World Language Options
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AP World Language OptionsLiterature Courses
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AP Career / Interest Pathways

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AP Career / Interest Pathways
Business, Finance Accounting Engineering,
Technology Transportation Environmental
Studies Fine Arts Humanities International
Studies Medicine Health Science Political
Science, Law Government
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What are AP Career / Interest Pathways?

• Ideas recommendations for AP courses students
  parents might consider when deciding which AP
  courses to take.
• The goal is to take a reasoned selection of AP
  courses that match areas of interest aptitude,
  NOT to fit in as many AP courses as possible
  into a schedule.

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What are AP Career / Interest Pathways?

• Each pathway contains 5-7 AP courses, which
  provides the high level of depth academic rigor
  that college admissions offices look for in high
  school graduates.
• The AP Career / Interest Pathways are a tool
  that provide balance in a students schedule and
  link AP course selection to areas of aptitude,
  interest future plans.

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What are AP Career / Interest Pathways?

• It is neither required nor expected that a
  student take every course available in a selected
  AP Career / Interest Pathway.
• The AP Career / Interest Pathways are intended
  only to guide students with a specific career or
  interest into courses directly related to their
  interest.
• The pathways allow students to choose from a menu
  of courses directly related to their interest.

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Your AP Contacts in the Forsyth County School
System

• Mr. Mitch Young
• West Forsyth H.S. AP Coordinator
• myoung_at_forsyth.k12.ga.us
• [phone] x 331914
• Mr. Michel Satterfield
• Forsyth County Schools AP/IB Program Coordinator
• msatterfield_at_forsyth.k12.ga.us
• 770-887-2461 x 202246

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For more information

• AP Central
• http//apcentral.collegeboard.com
• College University AP Credit Policies
• http//apps.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.
  jsp
• AP Student Resources
• www.collegeboard.com/?student
• AP Parent Resources
• http//www.collegeboard.com/parents/