1. Woodcreek High School
Spring
AP Night

2. Goals of the Evening:
Inform parents and students of changes to AP program and courses;
Provide specific AP course information;
Answer parents’ and students’ questions.

3. AP and College Success™
Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a bachelor’s 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.

4. Who should take AP courses?
Students who are…
Proficient in reading, writing, or other prerequisite skills;
Managing their time well in regular level courses;
Self-directed, motivated workers.

5. A Note About Prerequisites…
Grades in previous courses are strong predictors of success in AP courses
AP English, Social Science, and Environmental Science courses are heavy in writing. Students’ grades in previous English classes should indicate whether they are prepared for this requirement
Courses like AP Chemistry and AP Physics are math-dependent
A cumulative academic GPA of 3.0 is required to enroll in any AP course

6. AP Courses Offered at WHS
AP European History (10th grade)
AP US History (11th grade)
AP US Government (12th grade)
AP Language/Comp (11th grade)
AP Literature/Comp (12th grade)
AP Spanish Language
AP Calculus AB/BC
AP Statistics
AP Environmental Science
AP Chemistry
AP Biology
AP Physics C
AP Psychology
AP Human Geography
AP Studio Art

7. AP Exams What you need to know:
Exams take place the first two weeks in May
Each exam is 3-4 hours long
Exams include selected-response and free-response sections
Scores are available online in early July
Questions about AP scores? Call College Board

8. AP Exams are in Revision
AP is working to align to the Common Core Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards
Expect fewer multiple-choice questions and more reading and writing
Teachers are getting trained and are adjusting curriculum

9. Corresponding Changes to Instruction
Teachers will spend less class time presenting information
Higher levels of thinking will be required
You may not be able to “find the answer in the book”
Argumentation and inquiry will increase in all subjects

10. How many AP courses should students take?
It depends on the student. Consider what your child can handle both academically and emotionally.
Also consider how competitive your child needs to be for the college he/she wants to attend.
Colleges want to see students who are active outside the classroom in addition to taking a rigorous course load.

11. Dropping AP Classes
New in : Students WILL NOT be moved to regular-level courses if they decide to drop an AP course.
Dropping an AP course after the 2nd week of the term will result in a drop “F” on the transcript.

12. Blocked Courses Lottery system –72 spots
All other students will be offered 18-week option

13. Credit & Placement for Qualifying AP Grades
Ninety percent of four-year U.S. colleges and universities grant credit or advanced placement.
College Board: AP Credit Policy Info

14. The AP Program at Woodcreek
Support for Students:
See your teacher BEFORE you fall behind
Ask your teacher or counselor about tutoring
Attend after-school tutoring in the library

15. Resources for Parents
College Board for Parents