AP EXAMS

AP (advanced placement) is the designation for a college level course taken in a high school setting for which the student receives both high school and college credit. Any enrolled student can take AP exams even if they have not been enrolled in the AP course.

AP exams are offered in early May at local area high schools and students should contact the school by October of the school year they are planning to take the AP exam. CWCS does not currently administer AP exams. CWCS has AP approved online vendors., however, beginning Fall 2010, UC will provide a list of providers and courses that can be taken for AP credit, please check with the Guidance Department for more information at guidancecounselor@connectingwaters.org .

AP exams are scored on a scale from 1 through 5, with a “passing” score of 3,4, or 5. A student who takes a UC approved AP course by a UC approved online provider like National University Virtual High School (check with Guidance at guidancecounselor@connectingwaters.org to make sure that the AP course and provider are UC approved), will receive HS credit based on the work performed throughout the course and the course title will include the AP designation, however, the course will not be calculated into the GPA as an Honors course on the CWCS transcript (Honors courses at some high schools are granted an extra GPA point).

Procedure for ESes: If you have a student interested in taking an AP exam, you must contact the guidance department before October for approval of curriculum and to arrange a test site. Once approved, the guidance department will direct you in the selection of the AP Course Titles on the Report Card (remember to indicate the name of the external course).  If the student passes the AP exam, the guidance department will put a note on the student's transcript in the comments box with the student's passing score. If the student passes the AP exam but did not take the AP course from an approved AP vendor, the course title will remain as a-g or general.  All passing AP Exam scores are documented on the student’s transcript by the Guidance Department.

Please note that college credit for passing an AP exam is granted at the discretion of the enrolling college or university. Your student can check the college website to find out if they grant college credit for a passing AP exam score.

All ESs should encourage their college bound students to consider using AP texts and attempting the AP exams. This is a great opportunity for high school students to receive college credit while still in high school.

AP Exams FAQS

Can a student take the AP Examination if they haven't taken an AP course?

YES. The College Board urges students to study the kinds of skills and subjects outlined in the specific course description for each subject. This information forms the basis for the AP Examination. The best way to cover the material is in a yearlong AP course using a recommended AP text. However, some students may have studied the subject matter in depth on their own. These students may be able to perform quite well on the AP examination.

What if, as an ES, I am not sure a student is ready for an AP course and examination? What should I tell a student so that he/she can succeed?

Tell your student that they need to be willing to commit to working hard. These courses move rapidly and cover a lot of ground. Students must be motivated to study and learn at the college level. If the student is committed to completing AP curriculum and putting in the time to complete the assignments, they will have met a major prerequisite for success. They must also be able to do the work. Their record in earlier courses is the most obvious indicator of that ability.

How do my students sign up for the exams?

IEM schools do not administer the AP exams at this time nor do they pay for students to take the exams. The student must contact their local high school district early in the fall for dates and times to sign up for AP exams. Remind your students that there is a cost for each exam as well as a nonrefundable fee per exam.