1. Advanced Placement Courses “AP”
The Who, What,
When and Why

2. The AP Program: Accept the Challenge
Advanced Placement (AP) courses allow high school students the opportunity to acquire college level content knowledge.
Through AP exams students have the chance to earn credit in more than 90% of colleges and universities in the US and Canada.

3. Benefits of taking AP Exams
Earn college credit and advanced placement
Earn AP scholar awards
Learn what professors are looking for
Success in AP leads to success in college

4. AP Exam Grades
AP Exam grades are a combination of scores from a multiple choice and a free response section. The final grade is reported on a 5 point scale:
5= extremely well qualified
4= well qualified
3= qualified
2= possibly qualified
1= no recommendation

5. AP Course Options
There are 37 courses and exams across 22 subject areas - AP offers something for everyone.
RCS offers 19 AP courses which may be taken during a student’s years at RHS.
Students may elect to take exams in any area not offered.

6. RHS AP Course Offerings
English Language
English Literature
French AP
German AP
Spanish AP
Studio Art

7. RHS AP Course Offerings
United States History
United States Government and Politics
Psychology
World History
Micro Economics
Macro Economics

8. RHS AP Course Offerings
Biology
Environmental Science
Chemistry
Physics
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Statistics

12. Indicators of AP Success
Explore and Plan composite scores, PSAT scores
Part of the progression in the RHS curriculum
Students who are willing to make a commitment to academic excellence
Students with the study habits to tackle rigorous course work
Students with a strong interest in the given content area

13. District Testing Pattern
7th Explore (1-25)
8th Explore (1-25)
9th Explore (1-25)
10th Plan (1-32)
11th ACT/MME (1-36)
Allows for one year’s measurement of growth and time for remediation.

14. Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS)
EXPLORE th, 8th and 9th grade (score range 1 to 25)
PLAN th grade (score range 1 to 32)
ACT th and 12th grade (score range 1 to 36)

15. ACT College-Readiness Benchmarks
ACT Readiness Benchmarks
for Credit-Earning College Courses
College EXPLORE (8th/9th) PLAN (10th) ACT (11th/12th)
Credit-Earning College Readiness College Readiness College Readiness
Course Benchmarks Benchmarks Benchmarks
English Comp. English English English
Algebra Math Math Math
Social Science Reading Reading Reading
Biology Science Science Science
8th 13 17 15 20
9th 14 18 16 20 15 19 17 21 18 22 21 24

16. AP Pass Rate by Entering EXPLORE Composite Score

17. Your Scores Visual 6: Points of Emphasis
On the left side of the graphic, you will find several scores that indicate how well you did on the PLAN test. You will see scores for English, math, reading, science, as well as your Composite, or overall, Score. Each of these scores will range from 1 – 32. The Composite Score is the average of your English, math, reading, and science scores.
Notice there are 2 subscores under both English and math. These scores may indicate specific areas that need improvement. These scores range from
The column titled “In the U.S. Fall 10th”, shows the percentage of students in a national norm group that scored at or below your score. In this example, this student scored as high or higher than 73% of students in the national norm group.
The column titled “College-Bound 10th”, compares your scores to those students in the national norm group who indicated they plan to go to college.
You will only have numbers in the middle 3 columns if your school ordered this information or if you are in a state where all students take PLAN. These columns compare your score to students in your school, school district, or state who took PLAN. Do not be concerned if you do not see numbers in these columns.

18. College Readiness Visual 9: Points of Emphasis
Your PLAN results give you an early indication of how likely you are to be ready for college-level work.
PLAN uses College Readiness Benchmark Scores to indicate whether or not you are on target to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be ready for college.
This section shows whether you scored above, at, or below PLAN College Readiness Benchmark Scores for English, math, reading, and science. Students who meet the Benchmark Scores in English, math, and science are likely on target for success in entry-level college courses in these subjects. Students meeting the Reading Benchmark Score are likely developing the reading skills needed in all college subject areas.
Are your scores at or above the Benchmarks? If so, keep working hard. This just means you are on course for success if you maintain your current focus.
Are your scores below the Benchmarks? There is still time to get on track. You may need to take additional coursework or get extra help in some areas.

19. For students who took no AP classes in high school
Predictive Relationship Between AP Enrollment and Performance and College Readiness as a Success Measure
For students who took no AP classes in high school
17% will graduate within 5 years of enrollment in college
For students who took at least one AP course but did not take an AP exam
37% will graduate within 5 years of enrollment in college

20. Predictive Relationship Between AP Enrollment and Performance and College Readiness as a Success Measure
For students who took at least one AP course, took the exam, but did not pass the exam (scored a 1 or 2)
42% will graduate within 5 years of enrollment in college
For students who took at least one AP course, took the exam, and passed the exam (scored a 3, 4, or 5)
64% will graduate within 5 years of enrollment in college

21. Scholars of Highest Distinction GPA 3.9 - 4.0 4 AP Courses
ACT Score of 32 or higher
Scholars of Distinction
GPA 3.8
3 AP Courses
ACT Score of 28 or higher
Scholars of Achievement
GPA 3.5
2 AP Courses
ACT Score of 26 or higher

22. Advanced Placement Use in Admissions Review and Placement at the University of Michigan
Sally Lindsley
Senior Associate Director
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
University of Michigan
Rochester High School
February 8, 2011

23. Benefits of AP as Part of High School Curriculum
Demonstrated rigor
Selective colleges and institutions evaluate candidates for admissions based on rigor of curriculum offered in their respective high schools.
Curriculum – Nationally normed AP curriculum
Assists school districts with limited funding for curriculum development to provide for students to be challenged in their areas of academic strength – offers a standard template for teachers to use in developing their individual curriculum; AP workshops made available during the summer to enhance instruction.
Michigan Virtual High School allows students to enroll in 2 AP online classes per year – provides academic opportunities for students from secondary school districts with small enrollments to take advantage of the AP program.
Educational environment of individual school important; provides CONTEXT in the holistic, comprehensive multiple evaluation process.
Dual enrollment, AP and IB

24. Advanced Placement Selection and Review Process
Multiple, Comprehensive, Holistic Admissions Process
AP scores can help corroborate excellent grades on a transcript, and weak scores can illuminate potential areas of concern
# of AP courses taken and grades received by student
All courses do not carry an equal weight in the admissions process.  We expect successful applicants to have attempted the toughest curriculum available to them at their HS – AP is one way to demonstrate rigor on the transcript
E.g., College of Engineering – student s advised to enroll in highest levels of math and science offered - AP Calculus, AP statistics, AP Chemistry, and/or AP Physics.
Retention of the Student correlated to Rigor in HS

25. Use of AP in Application Evaluations
University of Michigan Freshman Undergraduate Admissions Review Guidelines
From Michigan’s evaluation process guidelines:
“Category: Academic Achievement, Quality, and Potential
Curriculum
The transcript is extremely important in noting the grades the applicant has achieved as well as the rigor and quality of the curriculum. Given the wide disparity in high school course selection and offerings, it is imperative that the choice of strong courses, particularly those courses clearly identified as honors and AP/IB should be considered in the context of that particular high school. What is the quality and strength of courses offered? Has the applicant taken advanced and/or challenging classes? Does the high school have strict prerequisites for entrance into these courses? What are the applicant’s curricular interests and strengths? Did the applicant dual enroll? Or, has the applicant extensively studied a particular subject?
Reviewers will also have the flexibility to give an outstanding rating to applicants who took college-level courses in academic subjects and received excellent to outstanding grades. Reviewers may exercise their judgment when giving below average, average, good, excellent, or outstanding ratings to curriculum, as part of the overall academic achievement rating.”

26. Decision Categories HA = High Admit A = Admit
Consistent outstanding evaluation (show strong evidence of taking challenging courses offered at school)
Students who would be considered for top merit scholarship programs
A = Admit
Consistent outstanding or excellent evaluation (show evidence of taking some challenging courses offered at school)
No deficiencies
AR = Admit with Reservation
Mostly outstanding / excellent evaluations, possibly good in select areas
A single deficiency, or very few minor deficiencies
Student is competitive for admission
DR = Deny with Reservation
Consistent good or average evaluation (school offers challenging courses and no evidence of student having taken any rigor)
Several deficiencies, or a major deficiency
Student is qualified for admission
D = Deny
Consistent average or below average ratings
Student is not qualified for admission

27. Entering Class Note: Includes Spring, Summer, and Fall terms. Freshmen
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
Applications
31,613
29,965
29,814
27,774
25,806
Admits
16,006
(50.6%)
14,970
(49.9%)
12,566
(42.1%)
13,828 (49.8%)
12,248 (47.4%)
Paids
6,665
6,192
5,881
6198
5,654
Target
5,970
5,920
5,700
5,600
5,413
Enrollment
6,496
6,079
5,763
5,998
5,399
Selectivity in % under admits; apps. divided by admits; of 3,800 higher ed. Institutions – 150 are highly selective as they admit 50% or less; selectivity factors; most selective is Harvard with 7-8% selectivity;
Paids versus enrolled numbers; summer melt – students double ( even triple) deposit to schools; some offered admissions from a waitlist at another institution.
Note: Includes Spring, Summer, and Fall terms.

28. Profile of 2010 Admitted Freshman Students (all units – middle 50%)
GPA - average
3.8
SAT
SAT-CR
SAT-M
SAT - WR
ACT
28-32
ACT-E
28-34
ACT-M
27-33
GPA is based on all subjects gr grading scale, A = 4.0; B = 3.0; =/-s not calculated in average; all weighted grades taken out. ;

29. Policies Regarding Granting College Credit
Who determines credit at post-secondary institutions:
Typically faculty within a department will determine credit policy for an AP exam. Strictly a “local” decision – no national guidelines.
U-M Office of Undergraduate Admissions requests yearly updates each spring from faculty in the individual colleges and departments.
Provide analysis to the six undergraduate schools/colleges on enrolling class’s reported examination scores and number of credits awarded.

30. Policies Vary at Different Institutions
No Credit nor any Placement
No Credit but advanced placement in next level courses
A Mix of Credit or Placement – University of Michigan
No Credit below 5
No Credit below 4
No Credit below 3
Different Schools / Colleges / Departments want different scores

31. University of Michigan Policy
4 or 5 yields course equivalent or departmental credit
3 in some departments yields course equivalent or departmental credit
64% of the enrolling freshman class for 2010 received credit for their reported scores.
Rochester Community High Schools – scores initially reported for May 2010 test administration ( additional test scores may be released later by students)
Rochester Adams High School = 47
Rochester High School = 46
Stoney Creek High School = 40
Students often want to wait to see their AP test results before releasing them to a college/university; students may list only one institution as a score recipient at time of test administration/registration; they may pay to have additional scores sent.

32. Number of students with AP
% of the enrolling freshman class who received credit for their reported scores
year
enrolls
Number of students with AP
Cohort Year
% of Freshmen Cohort
1999
5592
2887
52%
2000
5418
3434
63%
2001
5540
3817
69%
2002
5187
3339
64%
2003
5552
3413
61%
2004
6040
3578
59%
2005
6115
3714
2006
5399
3393
2007
5992
3840
2008
5783
3671
2009
6079
3880
2010
6496
4141

33. % of Freshman Cohort Granted AP Credits, 1999-2010
Significant plots on chart:
2002 – AP math ( 2 exams = Calculus AB and Calculus BC) moved to accept only 4 and 5 scores; used to accept score of 3
2004 – AP English ( 2 exams=Language & Composition and Literature & Composition) moved to accept only 4 and 5 scores; used to accept score of 3

34. AP at U-M May 2010 score reports
U-M received 15, 415 AP exam scores (compared to 14,412 in 2009)
3,008 were for English AP exams – Eng. Lang & Comp = 1,190 and Eng. Lit. & Comp. = 1,818 (2,792 in 2009)
2,571 were for Calculus AP exams – Calculus AB = 1,698 and Calculus BC = 873 (2,604 in 2009)
84% were a 3 or higher = 12,784 (11, 946 in 2009)
60% were 4 or 5 = 9,160 (8,668 in 2009)
5,396 on 4 exams math and English

35. AP at U-M
7, 058 students reported 15,415 total test scores to U-M in all 37 tests administered in 22 subjects areas in May 2010
Majority of students were enrolling freshman Fall 2009
Top 5 tests by number of scores reported
English Literature & Composition – 1,818
Calculus AB – 1,698
US Government & Politics – 1,170
English Language & Composition – 1,190
Biology – 1,040
Highest number of test scores reported
Score of 5
Calculus AB – 611
Calculus BC – 506
Biology – 400
Psychology – 372
US Government & Politics – 329
Score of 4
English Literature & Composition – 585
Calculus AB – 417
English Language & Composition – 410
US Government & Politics – 301
US History – 278

36. Average # AP credits,
12-15 credit hours = 1 semester of college work.

37. Average # AP Subjects for U-M Freshman, 1999-2010

38. Top 5 AP Subjects per Freshmen Cohort Year
Cohort Year Test Component # of Freshmen
1998 CALSB 1409
1998 NTEN 1201
1998 PHYSM 775
1998 EH 636
1998 BY 608
1999 CALSB 1583
1999 INTEN 1284
1999 PHYSM 955
1999 CH 823
1999 BY 811
2000 EL 1611
2000 CALAB 1500
2000 AMHIS 1167
2000 CH 1138
2000 ENGL 881
2001 EL 1788
2001 CALAB 1701
2001 AMHIS 1359
2001 CH 1225
2001 ENGL 1018
Cohort Year Test Component # of Freshmen
2002 EL 1650
2002 CALAB 1505
2002 AMHIS 1295
2002 CH 1137
2002 ENGL 1022
2003 EL 1617
2003 CALAB 1580
2003 AMHIS 1415
2003 CH 1221
2003 ENGL 1077
2004 CALAB 1639
2004 EL 1638
2004 AMHIS 1509
2004 CH 1321
ENGL 1167

39. Cohort Year Test Component # of Freshmen
2005 EL 1745
2005 CALAB 1660
2005 AMHIS 1598
2005 CH 1431
2005 ENGL 1232
2006 CALAB 1558
2006 EL 1522
2006 CH 1435
2006 AMHIS 1411
2006 ENGL 1182
2007 EL 1791
2007 CALAB 1772
2007 CH 1770
2007 AMHIS 1604
2007 ENGL 1331
Cohort Year Test Component # of Freshmen
2008 CH 1766
2008 CALAB 1750
2008 EL 1601
2008 AMHIS 1550
ENGL 1268
2009 CH 1918
2009 CALAB 1785
2009 EL 1719
2009 AMHIS 1644
2009 ENGL 1481
2010 CH 1903
2010 CALAB 1837
2010 EL 1831
2010 AMHIS 1809
2010 ENGL 1642

40. University of Michigan Policy (contd)
Some University of Michigan departments grant credit
and placement for a score of 3 or above. (Subscores
from Calculus and Music Theory are not used.)
Examinations requiring a score of 4 or 5 include:
Calculus AB and BC
Computer Science
Economics
English Language & Composition
English Literature & Composition
Environmental Science
French Language & Literature
American, European, & World History
History of Art
Human Geography
Latin Vergil and Latin Literature
Music Theory
Psychology
Spanish Language & Literature
Statistics
Total of 15 of 37 exams.

41. University of Michigan Policy (contd)
The amount of credit given for some exams differs. To receive credit for Chemistry, the College of Engineering requires a score of 4 or 5. The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts requires a score of 3 for Chemistry if the student placed into Chemistry 210 and 211 based on results from placement exam taken during orientation. Also, students enrolling in some honors math courses may have credit adjusted after completing the honors courses.
Newest AP exams in Chinese Language and Culture and Japanese Language and Culture – U-M Asian Languages and Cultures Department opted to follow existing practice: Orientation placement test to be placed into a Japanese or Chinese course. Chinese also allowed taking Chinese proficiency test (HSK) to be placed out of the 4-semester language requirement.

42. Chemistry – College of Engineering and College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
AP Examination
Score
Credit for Course
Credit Hours
Placement (Eligible to enroll in)
Chemistry
College of Engineering
4 or 5
Chemistry 125 (1)/126 (1) & Chemistry 130(3) 5
College of Literature, Science, and the Arts 3
3 hours for Chemistry 130 and 2 hours for Chemistry 125 (1)/126 (1)
Chem 210, 211
No credit if not placed into Chem 210, 211 by taking placement exam during orientation
Chem 125/126 (if prehealth profession) + 130
Chemistry 125 (1)/ 126 (1) & Chemistry 130 (3)
All students with an AP score of 4 or 5 are eligible to elect Chem 210, 211.

43. University of Michigan Policy (contd)
Credit earned through Advance Placement enables students to take courses at a more challenging level and counts toward graduation requirements. However, AP credit cannot be used to fulfill Area Distribution requirements in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA).
LSA Curriculum committee periodically reviews the overall transfer credit policies for the college including AP, IB and dual enrollment courses.
Students cannot receive credit more than once for the same course, nor can they receive credit by taking a course at a level lower than indicated by a placement exam. Courses elected at U-M must be at a more advanced level (usually a higher number) than what they would receive through Advanced Placement. 

44. How Colleges and Universities Use AP
More than 3,800 colleges and universities annually receive AP Exam scores.
Over 90% of 4-year colleges in the U.S. provide credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying scores
85% of selective colleges and universities indicate that a student’s AP experience “favorably impacts admissions decisions.”
Overall, 75% of college faculty favor or strongly favor allowing AP credit/placement in their department, but this differs significantly by discipline
31% of colleges and universities factor a student’s AP experience into decisions about which students will receive scholarships.

45. Credit and Placement Policies: All Subjects
Analysis; public schools award more credit fro scores of 3 than privates

46. College and University Outreach
AP students cite obtaining credit and placement as the primary driver in their decision to take AP exams.
Faculty and department chairs set an institution’s credit and placement policies
Faculty colloquia convened to:
Help ensure AP courses and exams continue to reflect the needs and expectations of college faculty teaching in the discipline
Bolster faculty understanding of what AP courses and exams cover and assess.
Support the development of fair and appropriate credit policies
Colloquia participants represent those institutions that receive the most scores in particular subjects.
Nearly 200 different institutions participate in these events including: Berkeley, Duke, Florida State, Georgetown, Harvard, Haverford, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, Northwestern, Princeton, UT Austin, Virginia, etc.

47. The AP exams for the subject are effective assessments for college credit and/or placement in department*
*Excludes Latin and Art History

48. Concerns/Issues
Is Advanced Placement rigorous enough?
Can a high school teacher develop a college level course that is at least as rigorous as AP?
Can class discussion in a high school class replicate class discussion in a college class?
Can a high school lab experience replicate a college lab experience?
Does a score of 3 or 4 or even 5 equate to the breadth and depth of the subject covered in “our” college course?

49. More . . .
Will students enter with AP credits and
1. Graduate early?
2. Take light academic load senior year?
3. Be ready for the next course in the sequence of classes?

50. Scheduling All AP classes are full year (2 semester classes)
Offered in 10th -12th grades.
Are based on the proven ability of the student and teacher recommendation.
Should be in the area of student career or academic interest.
The number of AP classes taken each year should be made with common sense.

51. Testing
Purpose of taking the course is to prepare students for taking the AP test.
Occurs in May of each year.
Each test is typically 3 hours and involves multiple-choice and essays or problems.
All or a portion of test costs can be paid for based on student financial need.
Earn credit or advanced placement or both at most Universities with a score of 3 and above.

52. Additional Resources
The College Board Website has a special resource- Bulletin for AP Students and Parents: