1. Bowie High SUMMIT Scholar Program 2017

2. SUMMIT Program Mission
Our goal is to serve our Bowie community by providing high standards and a supportive learning community to help our achieving students become the most well-rounded, accomplished, prepared college applicants they can be.

3. The SUMMIT Scholar Program is Bowie High School’s most competitive, accelerated, advanced, challenging college preparatory program.

4. Signature Program
The SUMMIT Scholar Program is unique to Bowie High School. No other PGCPS high school offers it.
Signature program = school-based, not district-based
We developed and modeled the SUMMIT program on Walter Johnson High School’s APEX Scholar program (Montgomery County PS).

5. Signature Program
The SUMMIT Scholar Program is not a PGCPS magnet program and is available only to students residing within the Bowie High boundary.
Families must use the “School Finder” feature on to confirm their neighborhood high school.

6. Size – small!
The SUMMIT population comprises students per graduating class (total school
Over 200 students apply each year for these spaces in the SUMMIT program.

7. SUMMIT Class of 2019

8. Comprehensive and College Preparatory
The SUMMIT program is neither a career academy nor a specialized magnet program.
Bowie High does offer career academies in Forensics, Child Development, Pre-Law, and Construction and Building Management. .

9. Comprehensive and College Preparatory
Instead of a career track program, SUMMIT prepares its scholars for Advanced Placement achievement in all academic disciplines while providing the opportunity for individual choice in challenging core courses and electives.

10. Comprehensive and College Preparatory
Our goal is to serve our Bowie community by providing high standards and a supportive learning community to help our achieving students become the most well-rounded, accomplished, prepared college applicants they can be.

11. ADVANCED PLACEMENT?
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level classes offered as part of a high school curriculum.
AP courses are recognized by all colleges and universities as the most challenging courses available in high school.
Research proves that AP students are far more likely than students not exposed to AP to go on to college and to perform better once they are in college.
Students at Bowie High are eligible to begin AP coursework as sophomores.

12. Bowie High Advanced Placement Course Offerings 2017
ART HISTORY
BIOLOGY
CALCULUS AB
CALCULUS BC
CAMBRIDGE CAPSTONE!!!!
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT (ONLY SCHOOL IN PGCPS)
COMPUTER SCIENCE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
EUROPEAN HISTORY
FRENCH LANGUAGE
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

13. Bowie High Advanced Placement Course Offerings 2017
MICROECONOMICS
PHYSICS B
PSYCHOLOGY
SPANISH LANGUAGE
SPANISH LITERATURE
STATISTICS
STUDIO ART: DRAWING PORTFOLIO
STUDIO ART: 2-D DESIGN PORTFOLIO
STUDIO ART: 3-D PORTFOLIO
US GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
US HISTORY
WORLD HISTORY

14. Why take Advanced Placement courses in high school?
To a college admissions officer, AP courses on a student transcript:
indicate your willingness to take the most rigorous courses available to you
demonstrate your maturity and readiness for college
emphasize your commitment to academic excellence

15. Why take Advanced Placement courses in high school?
Over 90% of 4-year colleges in the U.S. provide credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying scores on the May College Board exam. Students may graduate early, double major, intern, study abroad, or change majors at no extra expense of time or money with the freedom of these extra credits.

16. SUMMIT in the field

17. Advanced Placement
AP courses ready students for the rigors of college-level work.
Students who take AP classes in high school are better able to transition between high school and college coursework.

18. Class of 2015 AP Course Participation
The Class of 2015 SUMMIT students completed an average of 8.3 AP classes by graduation (the program minimum requirement is 6 AP classes).

19. ADVANCED PLACEMENT and SUMMIT?
SUMMIT is a small core program within our much larger Advanced Placement program.
In , 597 Bowie High students took one or more AP courses. Only 167 of these AP students were SUMMITs.
Both SUMMIT and non-SUMMIT students can be eligible to participate in Advanced Placement courses.

20. ADVANCED PLACEMENT and SUMMIT?
All students (SUMMIT and non-SUMMIT) must have at least a B average in the previous content area course to be eligible for the AP class.
SUMMIT students are required to take a minimum of SIX AP classes by graduation.

21. WHY SUMMIT?
Question: If anyone with a B average in a related course may take an AP class, then why would I participate in SUMMIT?

22. WHY SUMMIT?
Answer: Although many of our non-SUMMIT students succeed in AP coursework and exams, SUMMIT students successfully complete more AP classes and earn qualifying scores on AP exams at a significantly higher rate than the rest of our AP population.

23. Bowie High SUMMIT Scholar AP Exam Data 2015
National Pass Rate SUMMIT Pass Rate
67% %
59% %
62% %
Biology
English Language
Comparative Government

24. Pre-Advanced Placement
Highly able and motivated students like those in SUMMIT would be at least somewhat successful in AP with or without the SUMMIT program, but their success in AP is increased even more by being exposed to some AP content, skills and strategies early in high school.

25. Pre-AP
9th grade SUMMIT US History, English and Biology and 10th grade SUMMIT English and Chemistry courses are specifically Pre-AP courses; that is, rigorous introductions to the content and study skills required at the college level. We teach the county honors curriculum in those courses but infuse them whenever possible with AP strategies and tasks, such as AP essay questions and test items.

26. What Exactly Are SUMMIT Classes?
SUMMIT courses are a bridge between core curriculum courses and AP courses. Think of them as ultra-honors courses.
SUMMIT students take intensive pre- AP core courses freshman and sophomore year (special SUMMIT- only sections of honors courses) in order to prepare them for AP classes sophomore, junior and senior year. 

27. Four-Year Program
SUMMIT students take several SUMMIT-focused classes in the 9th and 10 grades.
All SUMMIT students are required to take AP Government in the 10th grade and AP World History and AP English Language in the 11th grade.
SUMMIT students choose at least three additional (from the remaining eighteen AP course offerings) by graduation. The vast majority of SUMMIT students take more than six AP classes over the course of their high school careers.

28. AP Biology

29. Four-Year Program
Although SUMMIT-only classes stop after the 10th grade, students are still SUMMIT scholars and are part of the SUMMIT cohort until they graduate from high school (or throughout eternity). SUMMITs, throughout high school, continue to work with and receive guidance from SUMMIT program coordinators and each other.

30. SUMMIT Course Schedule
9th Grade
SUMMIT Biology    
SUMMIT English 9 
SUMMIT U.S. History   
Algebra, Geometry or Algebra II  
Foreign Language
Electives
Note: “SUMMIT” courses are technically honors courses – special honors sections limited to SUMMIT students.

31. SUMMIT Schedule, Continued
10th Grade
SUMMIT Chemistry   
SUMMIT English 10
Advanced Placement US Government
Geometry, Algebra II, Trig Analysis or
Pre-calculus  
Foreign Language
Electives
Note: “SUMMIT” courses are technically honors courses – special honors sections limited to SUMMIT students.

32. SUMMIT Schedule, Continued
11th Grade
AP World History
AP English Language and Composition
Honors or AP Science
Trig Analysis, Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus or AP Statistics
Foreign Language
Electives

33. SUMMIT Schedule, Continued
12th Grade
AP English Literature and Composition or English 12
Pre-Calculus or AP Math
Additional AP courses to meet SUMMIT Scholar minimum of six
Electives
*Some SUMMIT seniors are concurrently enrolled in college, others participate in internships, others take a full course load at BHS.*

34. SUMMIT High School Course Selection
The SUMMIT Program strongly recommends that its students take four years of English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Foreign Language in high school (four years of math and English are required for all students). Competitive college programs expect to see advanced high school work in many core areas. However, we encourage students to explore their individual academic interests by focusing on one or more disciplines of their preference.

35. SUMMIT Program Requirements
SUMMIT students:
A) sign and uphold an academic honesty pledge
B) complete a minimum of six Advanced Placement courses and take the College Board exams for each 
C) follow the schedule as outlined above
D) take the PSAT in 9th, 10th and 11th grades
E) maintain at least an overall B average (unweighted) with a B average in SUMMIT and AP courses

36. What kind of student is a SUMMIT Scholar?
SUMMIT students are:
motivated, independent, and disciplined
discerning, literate, and analytical
well-rounded scholars

37. The College Letter
Students who meet the previous criteria receive the SUMMIT letter in their transcripts sent with college applications. These letters explain the program in detail and verify that the student has met the requirements and expectations of the SUMMIT program.

38. The College Letter

39. The College Letter (cont.)

40. Application
SUMMIT program applications are now available on our school website:
org/bowie-hs-summit-program/

41. SUMMIT Application
You must complete the online portion by December 12.
If you are not taking the PSAT 8/9 at your local middle school, you must register for he entrance exam (options).
Bowie High’s guidance department will work with public middle schools to access the grades of PGCPS students.
Private and charter school students: Your school counselors or registrars must your grades to us by December 12.

42. SUMMIT Application Evaluation
60% of application weight: recalculated final seventh & first quarter eighth grades
Reading/English/Language Arts
*Math,
Science, and
Social Studies
*Advanced math courses in eighth grade may be weighted more heavily
40% of application weight: Entrance Exam

43. SUMMIT Application Evaluation
Grades %
+ Entrance exam 40%
= DECISION!
The SUMMIT admissions committee may also use your application essays and teacher references in the evaluation process.

44. SUMMIT Application Evaluation
We may also consider the optional application essays and solicited references that the online application asks you to provide.
Note: We do NOT require recommendation letters; we simply ask you to provide contact information in case we need to contact one of your teachers.

45. SUMMIT Application Evaluation
In February of 2018, all applicants will receive an ed decision: an acceptance, *waitlist, or rejection letter.
*Do not despair if you are waitlisted. Historically, many waitlisted students have been offered a position in SUMMIT.

46. Entrance exam
In order to accommodate our community, we offer several testing opportunities. Applicants need to take only ONE entrance exam.

47. Application Timeline November 2, 2017
SUMMIT Information and Interest Meeting at 7:00 p.m Bowie High Multipurpose Room, main building
DECEMBER 12, 2017
Online application due!
Your online application includes an entrance exam and grade evaluation. 

48. Entrance Exam Options December 2, 2017 -- PSAT 8/9
Independent and homeschooled students who are not taking the PSAT at their own middle schools
Register and pay at:
0889
December 4, 2017 (week of) -- PSAT 8/9
All PGCPS public school students -- no fee
December 9, Alternate entrance exam -- SUMMIT program only
Open to all students who missed the previous testing dates. -- Bowie High Multipurpose Room (main building)

49. Entrance Exam Timeline
DECEMBER 13, 2017
Entrance exam -- Bowie High Media Center (main building)
3:30-5:30 p.m.
REGISTER BELOW!
SUMMIT Alternate Entrance Exam Registration

50. Application Timeline JANUARY 7, 2017
Inclement weather make-up exam date -- only if the November or December Saturday testing date is cancelled by PGCPS
Doors open at 8:45 a.m.
Exam from 9:00-11:00 a.m.
FEBRUARY 28, 2018
Decisions ed. We will contact applicants and families using the addresses submitted on your application. Each applicant will receive an acceptance, waitlist offer, or denial notification.

51. Entrance exam Exam consists of three sections: A) Math
B) Critical Reading
C) Writing
Students may NOT use calculators.
All items are taken from released PSAT and SAT exams – rated “easy.” See for sample questions.

52. Exam Day!
Doors open for registration at 8:30 a.m.; exam begins at 9:00.
Students should bring the following to the exam: water, tissue, and something to read after completing the exam.
No calculators allowed.
Students will not be dismissed from the testing site until 11:00 a.m. (Saturday administrations)

53. For more information, contact
and visit:

54. SUMMIT/AP Testimonials
Jeff Williams, SUMMIT Class of 2013, College Board AP Scholar with Distinction:
“I’ve taken a total of 12 AP exams and I’m proud to say I’ve passed every one. I am majoring in Astronautical Engineering, and my AP scores earned me a total of 34 credits, enabling me to enter college as a sophomore. I don’t have to pay for an entire year of college, thanks to SUMMIT!”

55. SUMMIT/AP Testimonials
Tommy Masino, SUMMIT Class of 2010, National AP Scholar:
“I was an Architecture and Art History double major at the University of Maryland. My high school AP exam scores earned me 41 college credits, allowing me to pursue two degrees and still graduate in four years.”

56. SUMMIT/AP Testimonials
Evelyn Glaze, SUMMIT Class of 2011
“I graduated from New York University pursuing a career in paleoanthropology. I studied abroad in Kenya at the Turkana Basin Institute Field School to work on my honors thesis: examining the teeth of early primates and primate relatives. The 30 credits I earned from AP exams also allowed me to graduate a semester early! SUMMIT is largely responsible for my acceptance into a major research university like NYU, and the rigorous AP-centered curriculum is what made me more prepared for the workload in college.”

57. THANK YOU!