Socorro Independent School District Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program 2015

Pre-Advanced Placement Program Administered by the College Board, and allows students to participate in college preparation courses leading to college level AP courses offered in high school Provides rigorous courses in grades Develops the skills, habits of mind, and concepts students need to succeed in college What is Pre-AP? Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

What is Pre-AP? Pre-Advanced Placement Program Administered by the College Board, and allows students to participate in college preparation courses leading to college level AP courses offered in high school Provides rigorous courses in grades Develops the skills, habits of mind, and concepts students need to succeed in college Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Pre-AP Beliefs All students can perform at rigorous academic levels To prepare every student for higher intellectual engagement by the development of skills and acquiring of knowledge as early as possible Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Advantages of Pre-AP Courses Students are better prepared for college Pre-AP classes are more challenging and rigorous Students acquire skills needed to succeed in AP courses at the high school level Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

What is AP? The College Board maintains the guidelines for college level courses taught in high school. The AP Program allows students to enroll in college level classes while in high school and develop strong study habits. AP teachers must submit a course syllabus to the College Board for approval prior to teaching an AP class. SISD offers 20 AP courses district-wide. The College Board administers 31 AP exams in May. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Strong Curriculum Students who complete a rigorous high school curriculum, specifically AP courses, are more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree. A rigorous curriculum is more important than test scores and class rank/GPA in earning a bachelor’s degree. Finishing math courses beyond Algebra 2 (pre- calculus/calculus) more than doubles the odds of a student completing a bachelor’s degree once in college. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Colleges look for: High school transcripts – coursework and grades earned. The best transcripts show challenging courses and high grades throughout high school. The second best transcripts show challenging courses with grades that steadily improve each semester. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Who should take an AP course? Students who meet course pre-requisites. Students identified by teachers or counselors as likely to be successful. Students who have a high probability of success based on analysis of PSAT and AP Potential. Students who seek a challenge. Students who are willing to work hard! Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Why should my student take Pre-AP/AP classes? Pre-AP/AP strengthens the skills students need to think critically and analyze problems – much like any college level course. College Admissions Counselors recommend students for admissions based on a rigorous high school course transcript. Students who succeed in Pre-AP/AP courses generally do well in college. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Students who take AP courses: Are better prepared academically Have higher SAT and ACT scores Take more advanced courses and choose more challenging majors in college Have higher GPAs in college Are more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree in 4 years or less Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Advantages of AP courses: Students passing Pre-AP courses counting for high school credit, shall receive 5 weighted points per semester. Students passing AP courses counting for high school credit shall receive 5 weighted points per semester. 10 points are granted to AP students taking the appropriate placement exam in high school. Earn college credit or advanced placement for AP test scores of 3, 4, or 5. Each particular college or university identifies the AP courses and AP exam scores for which AP scores will earn college credit or advanced placement. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Colleges can award “credit” for qualifying AP exam scores. Students actually earn hours toward their college degree. Colleges can award “advanced placement”. Students can skip introductory courses, enter higher- level classes, and /or fulfill general education requirements. Students and parents can visit cy/index.jsp to find the various scores accepted by colleges for each subject. cy/index.jsp What’s the difference between credit & placement? Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

How do Pre-AP & AP classes compare to other school courses? Courses are more challenging and require a higher level of performance. Students get a head start on college level work. Students improve their writing skills, study habits, and problem solving abilities. Pre-AP/AP classes require that students be involved and motivated. Curriculum and instruction will be presented at a rigorous academic level to ensure students are consistently being challenged. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

What background does my student need to succeed in Pre-AP/AP courses? Must able to read perceptively and independently. Must possess maturity, motivation, and self-discipline. Have a strong foundation in traditional course areas. Must possess good speaking, writing, reading and listening skills. Be a creative and imaginative thinker. Have good collaborative skills. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

AP students are expected to: Recognize values and underlying biases. Engage in disciplined work habits. Respect honest differences of opinion and ambiguity. Solve problems; know where and how to get relevant information. Learn independently and appreciate learning. Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

The AP Exams Administered over a two week period in May Approximately 3 hours long Consist of multiple choice and free response questions AP reports sent to students, schools and colleges in July Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Colleges and Universities award college credit for AP scores of 3, 4, and 5 College credit means students save time and money once in college Why should a student take the AP exam? Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

TEA requires 4 advanced measures in addition to required coursework Three different levels of the same foreign language Students can earn an advanced measure by: Earning an AP exam score of 3, 4, or 5 Original research/project Grade of 3.0 (B) or higher in a Dual Credit course PSAT score qualifying students as a Commended Scholar Distinguished Achievement Program Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

How Can Parents Help? Provide a quiet place to study Establish high expectations Communicate with teachers Ensure student attends classes Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Students and parents must sign an agreement indicating they agree and understand the requirements of the course(s) Students who are not successful in the courses may be moved and placed in a more appropriate course Additional Requirements for Pre-AP & AP Courses Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program

Questions? Pre-Advanced and Advanced Placement Program