Barren County Early College Magnet

Amy AllenCounselor

AP courses are the most challenging courses AP courses are the most challenging courses offered at Barren County High Schooloffered at Barren County High School

College-level coursesCollege-level courses

Gives you a head start on collegeGives you a head start on college

Shows colleges that you are a serious student & Shows colleges that you are a serious student & capable of college-level workcapable of college-level work

Have the potential to earn college credits or Have the potential to earn college credits or placement into advanced courses in collegeplacement into advanced courses in college

Did you know . . .Did you know . . .

If you earn a If you earn a high school diplomahigh school diploma, , you’re likely to earn you’re likely to earn $7,000$7,000 more more annually than students who don’t annually than students who don’t complete high school.complete high school.

But if you earn a But if you earn a bachelor’s degreebachelor’s degree in in collegecollege, you’re likely to earn , you’re likely to earn $22,000$22,000more annually.more annually.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, 2000

Prepare Prepare NowNow to Succeed in to Succeed in CollegeCollege

A 1999 U.S. Department of A 1999 U.S. Department of Education study found that Education study found that the the strongest predictor strongest predictor of college graduation is…of college graduation is…

Participation in Participation in rigorous, rigorous, college-level courses in college-level courses in high school (AP courses ).high school (AP courses ).

Clifford Adelman, Clifford Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box: Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and Bachelor’s Degree Answers in the Tool Box: Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and Bachelor’s Degree AttainmentAttainment (1999), (1999), U.S. Department of EducationU.S. Department of Education ..

AP and College SuccessAP and College Success™™

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No AP One AP Two+ AP

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.

Levels of courses at BC:Levels of courses at BC:

MOST DIFFICULTMOST DIFFICULT AP=Advanced Placement (AP Calculus)AP=Advanced Placement (AP Calculus)

DIFFICULTDIFFICULTDual Credit = Dual Credit WKU (Psychology 100)Dual Credit = Dual Credit WKU (Psychology 100)Pre-AP = preAdvanced Placement (Pre-AP English Pre-AP = preAdvanced Placement (Pre-AP English

I)I)Hnrs = Honors (Hnrs Integrated Science)Hnrs = Honors (Hnrs Integrated Science) AVERAGEAVERAGE No label (Algebra I)No label (Algebra I)

Prepare for success in college Prepare for success in college by taking college-level by taking college-level courses while still in high courses while still in high schoolschool

Opportunity to earn awards, Opportunity to earn awards, scholarships, scholarships, and improve chances of and improve chances of college admissioncollege admission

Opportunity to earn college Opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placementcredit or advanced placement

Outperform their peers Outperform their peers whenwhen

placed into advanced placed into advanced coursescourses

Are ready and prepared for Are ready and prepared for the the

rigor, work-load, and time rigor, work-load, and time required required

to be successful in an AP to be successful in an AP coursecourse

Are more likely to take Are more likely to take advancedadvanced

courses in their AP subject courses in their AP subject areasareas

Are more likely to choose Are more likely to choose challenging majors in challenging majors in

collegecollege

AP committee members currently teach at dozens AP committee members currently teach at dozens of the nation’s top colleges and universities, of the nation’s top colleges and universities, including:including:– Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College– Hamilton CollegeHamilton College– Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University – Princeton UniversityPrinceton University– UCLAUCLA– University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin– University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia– Yale UniversityYale University

•It shows colleges that you are a serious student, who It shows colleges that you are a serious student, who can succeed in a college course and exam.can succeed in a college course and exam.

•It shows colleges that you have experienced It shows colleges that you have experienced a college-level course and exam.a college-level course and exam.

•Most colleges require you to take the AP Most colleges require you to take the AP course and earn a certain score on the exam course and earn a certain score on the exam before awarding college credit.before awarding college credit.

For example, at Princeton, students can use qualifying AP Exam grades to:For example, at Princeton, students can use qualifying AP Exam grades to:– Graduate in three or three-and-a-half yearsGraduate in three or three-and-a-half years– Enter upper-level coursesEnter upper-level courses– Fulfill a foreign language requirementFulfill a foreign language requirement

Most of the nation’s colleges/universities & 24 other countries grant students admission, credit, and/or placement for qualifying AP Exam scores.

Saves you college TIME & Saves you college TIME & MONEY!!!MONEY!!!

AP ExamAP Exam vs. vs. College CourseCollege Course$87$87$0$0 BC Magnet BC Magnet $315/credit hour (WKU)$315/credit hour (WKU)

studentsstudents 1 HS credit = 3 college credits1 HS credit = 3 college credits3hr x $315 = 3hr x $315 = $945$945

Example:Example:BC Magnet student earns college credit for BC Magnet student earns college credit for fourfour college college

courses. courses. 1 high school credit = 3 college credits1 high school credit = 3 college credits3 college credits x 4 AP courses = 12 college credits3 college credits x 4 AP courses = 12 college credits12 x $945 = 12 x $945 = $11,340 saved$11,340 saved12 hours of time saved (semester of college courses)12 hours of time saved (semester of college courses)

Saves you college TIME & Saves you college TIME & MONEY!!!MONEY!!!

Dual Credit CourseDual Credit Course College CourseCollege Course$200 per course$200 per course $945 per course$945 per course$40 one time app fee$40 one time app fee

Example:Example:BCHS Magnet student takes 4 dual credit classes while BCHS Magnet student takes 4 dual credit classes while

at BCHSat BCHS$200 x 4 = $800 + $40 application fee = $840 and 16 $200 x 4 = $800 + $40 application fee = $840 and 16

college credit hourscollege credit hours

Add your AP college credits plus your dual credit Add your AP college credits plus your dual credit courses and you could easily gain 28 college credit courses and you could easily gain 28 college credit hours before high school graduation (almost 2 hours before high school graduation (almost 2 college semesters in credit)college semesters in credit)

Some colleges award “credit” for qualifying Some colleges award “credit” for qualifying AP Exam grades. This means you actually AP Exam grades. This means you actually earn points/hours toward your college earn points/hours toward your college degree. Credit shows up on college degree. Credit shows up on college transcript.transcript.

Others award “advanced placement.” This Others award “advanced placement.” This means you can skip introductory courses, means you can skip introductory courses, enter higher-level classes, and/or fulfill enter higher-level classes, and/or fulfill general education requirements.general education requirements.

PLACEMENT vs. CREDITPLACEMENT vs. CREDIT

Increase Your Options in Increase Your Options in CollegeCollege

College credit can allow you to move College credit can allow you to move into upper-level college courses into upper-level college courses sooner, pursue a double major, and sooner, pursue a double major, and gain time to study and travel abroad:gain time to study and travel abroad:

““As a freshman, I was able to skip general As a freshman, I was able to skip general ed requirements and head straight into the ed requirements and head straight into the higher-level classes I wanted to take. higher-level classes I wanted to take. Taking AP Exams literally saved me Taking AP Exams literally saved me semesters of time.”semesters of time.”

——Brent Wiese, University of IowaBrent Wiese, University of Iowa

If you earn a qualifying grade on an If you earn a qualifying grade on an AP Exam, you can receive credit for AP Exam, you can receive credit for the equivalent course at thousands of the equivalent course at thousands of colleges and universities:colleges and universities:

““I took AP throughout high school I took AP throughout high school because it was the most interesting because it was the most interesting and well-taught program offered. and well-taught program offered. When I reached college, I realized that When I reached college, I realized that I had accumulated a year’s worth of I had accumulated a year’s worth of credits. I graduated from Michigan’s credits. I graduated from Michigan’s undergraduate business school a full undergraduate business school a full year early, year early, saving $30,000 and a saving $30,000 and a year’s time.”year’s time.”

——Nikki Baker, University of MichiganNikki Baker, University of Michigan

““One of the best standard One of the best standard predictors of academic success predictors of academic success at Harvard is performance on at Harvard is performance on Advanced Placement Advanced Placement Examinations.”Examinations.”

——William R. FitzsimmonsWilliam R. FitzsimmonsDean of Admissions, Harvard UniversityDean of Admissions, Harvard University

““AP Exams affirm the rigor of a AP Exams affirm the rigor of a student’s course work. Though student’s course work. Though admissions policies vary, if I were a admissions policies vary, if I were a student, I wouldn’t assume that the student, I wouldn’t assume that the college of my dreams didn’t care college of my dreams didn’t care about AP Exams in the admissions about AP Exams in the admissions process.”process.”

——Bruce Walker, Director of AdmissionsBruce Walker, Director of AdmissionsUniversity of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin

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NACAC Admission Trends Survey, 2001

Factors influencing Factors influencing admissions decisions admissions decisions

(2001)(2001)6.4% Work/Extracurricular

8.2% Community Service

10.8% Interview

16.3% Teacher Rec

17.4% Counselor Rec

20.3% Essays

30.5% Class Rank

44.8% GPA

51.7% Test Scores

80.4% AP courses/rigorof schedule

Scholarships look at # AP courses Scholarships look at # AP courses taken and AP exam scores…taken and AP exam scores…

Some of the most Some of the most competitive competitive scholarship awards scholarship awards value AP Exam value AP Exam grades:grades:

““Having the AP Exam Having the AP Exam grade can make the grade can make the difference when it difference when it comes down to comes down to awarding precious awarding precious scholarship dollars.”scholarship dollars.”

——Edwina Harris Hamby Edwina Harris Hamby Dean of AdmissionDean of Admission

Fisk UniversityFisk University

Experience a College-Level Experience a College-Level TestTest

The intensity of college exams catches far too The intensity of college exams catches far too many freshmen by surprise:many freshmen by surprise:

““Students who have prepared for and taken the AP Students who have prepared for and taken the AP Exams adapt more easily to taking college essay Exams adapt more easily to taking college essay exams, and are especially skilled in including a exams, and are especially skilled in including a thesis and a well-developed argument. They are thesis and a well-developed argument. They are also less intimidated by sophisticated, college-level also less intimidated by sophisticated, college-level multiple-choice questions that seek to test multiple-choice questions that seek to test understanding over memorization.”understanding over memorization.”

——Robert Blackey, Professor of HistoryRobert Blackey, Professor of HistoryCSU, San BernardinoCSU, San Bernardino

AP students who receive AP students who receive college credit or college credit or advanced placement into advanced placement into higher-level college higher-level college courses perform better courses perform better than the non-AP students than the non-AP students who actually took the who actually took the introductory college introductory college courses first.courses first.

Source: Source: Rick Morgan and Len Ramist.Rick Morgan and Len Ramist. “Advanced Placement Students in “Advanced Placement Students in College: An Investigation of Course College: An Investigation of Course Grades at 21 Colleges.” Grades at 21 Colleges.” Educational Educational Testing Service (1998).Testing Service (1998).

EnglishLanguage 11th

Literature 12th

MathCalculus AB 11th or 12th

Statistics 12th

Social StudiesWorld History 9th or 10th

S History 10th or 11th

ScienceBiology 10th or 12th

Chemistry 11th

World LanguagesFrench 11th (fourth level)Spanish 11th or 12th (fourth level)

ArtStudio Art 11th or 12th

1.1. Go to Go to www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicywww.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy

2.2. Type in the name of the college or Type in the name of the college or university whose AP policy you university whose AP policy you want to view (or browse by letter of want to view (or browse by letter of the alphabet).the alphabet).

3.3. You will see two things for each You will see two things for each school that has provided their AP school that has provided their AP credit policy info:credit policy info:• A link to the college’s own Web A link to the college’s own Web

page that details its AP credit page that details its AP credit and placement policies.and placement policies.

• A statement by the college or A statement by the college or university about its AP policy.university about its AP policy.

Just let your counselor know if you Just let your counselor know if you want to change into an AP course want to change into an AP course for next year. for next year.