Why should my child enroll in Why should my child enroll in

Pre-AP and AP courses?Pre-AP and AP courses?

Westside High SchoolWestside High SchoolAdvanced PlacementAdvanced Placement

What is Advanced What is Advanced Placement (AP)?Placement (AP)?

Sponsored by The College BoardSponsored by The College Board

Cooperative endeavor between secondary Cooperative endeavor between secondary schools and colleges and universities schools and colleges and universities

Provide students with the opportunity to Provide students with the opportunity to take college-level courses while still in take college-level courses while still in high schoolhigh school

Students gain college-level skillsStudents gain college-level skills

May earn college creditMay earn college credit

AP and College SuccessAP and College Success

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

Bill FitzsimmonsBill Fitzsimmons

Dean of Admissions & Financial AidDean of Admissions & Financial Aid

Harvard UniversityHarvard University

6.48.2

10.8

16.3 17.420.3

30.5

44.8

51.7

80.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

PER

CEN

TAG

E

NACAC Admission Trends Survey, 2001

Factors InfluencingFactors InfluencingCollege Admission DecisionsCollege Admission Decisions

Student GroupStudent Group AP Exam Grade AP Exam Grade of 3, 4, 5of 3, 4, 5

AP Exam Grade AP Exam Grade of 1, 2of 1, 2

Took AP course, Took AP course, but not exambut not exam

African-AmericanAfrican-American 28% higher28% higher 22% higher22% higher 16% higher16% higher

HispanicHispanic 28% higher28% higher 12% higher12% higher 10% higher10% higher

WhiteWhite 33% higher33% higher 22% higher22% higher 20% higher20% higher

Low-IncomeLow-Income 26% higher26% higher 17% higher17% higher 12% higher12% higher

Not Low-IncomeNot Low-Income 34% higher34% higher 23% higher23% higher 19% higher19% higher

Source: Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Shuling Jian, The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and College Graduation (National Center for Educational Accountability, 2006)

Impact of AP on 5-Year College Graduation Rates

University of California Research University of California Research (2004)(2004)

After creating a pool of “similar” students by removing After creating a pool of “similar” students by removing differences of GPA, school quality, parental education differences of GPA, school quality, parental education level, and family income:level, and family income:

This study “emphatically supports the conclusion that This study “emphatically supports the conclusion that AP AP Examinations are among the very best predictors of Examinations are among the very best predictors of college performance.college performance. . . . . . . The subject-specific, The subject-specific, curriculum-intensive AP exams are the epitome of curriculum-intensive AP exams are the epitome of ‘achievement tests,’ and their validity in predicting college ‘achievement tests,’ and their validity in predicting college performance should not be surprising.”performance should not be surprising.”

““The Role of Advanced Placement and Honors Courses in College Admissions,” by Saul The Role of Advanced Placement and Honors Courses in College Admissions,” by Saul Geiser and Veronica Santelices (2004).Geiser and Veronica Santelices (2004).

Why AP??Why AP??

RigorRigorous curriculumous curriculum

Potential to earn college creditPotential to earn college credit

Extra point towards GPAExtra point towards GPA

““Strength of schedule” on college Strength of schedule” on college applicationsapplications

Pre-AP Classes at WestsidePre-AP Classes at Westside

English 1 and 2English 1 and 2

World GeographyWorld Geography

Algebra 1Algebra 1

GeometryGeometry

Algebra 2Algebra 2

Pre-CalculusPre-Calculus

BiologyBiology

ChemistryChemistry

Computer ScienceComputer Science

Spanish 2 and 3Spanish 2 and 3

French 2 and 3French 2 and 3

German 2 and 3German 2 and 3

Latin 2 and 3Latin 2 and 3

Art 1, 2, and 3Art 1, 2, and 3

English LanguageEnglish LanguageEnglish LiteratureEnglish LiteratureHuman Geography****Human Geography****World HistoryWorld HistoryEuropean HistoryEuropean HistoryU.S. HistoryU.S. HistoryEconomicsEconomicsGovernmentGovernmentPsychologyPsychologyCalculus ABCalculus ABCalculus BCCalculus BCArt HistoryArt History

StatisticsStatisticsBiologyBiologyChemistryChemistryPhysicsPhysicsEnvironmental ScienceEnvironmental ScienceComputer Science A and ABComputer Science A and ABSpanish Lang and LitSpanish Lang and LitFrench Lang and LitFrench Lang and LitChinese Lang and CultureChinese Lang and CultureJapanese Lang and CultureJapanese Lang and CultureGerman LanguageGerman LanguageLatin Lit and VergilLatin Lit and VergilStudio ArtStudio Art

AP Classes at WestsideAP Classes at Westside

The AP ExamsThe AP Exams

Each year in May – two weeksEach year in May – two weeks

Dates and times set by the College BoardDates and times set by the College Board

Registration in early FebruaryRegistration in early February

Given in the gymsGiven in the gyms

Cost - $54 ($5 if the student is on Cost - $54 ($5 if the student is on free/reduced lunch)free/reduced lunch)

Westside’s AP HistoryWestside’s AP HistoryYearYear # Students Taking # Students Taking

AP ExamsAP ExamsNumber of Number of

Exams GivenExams GivenNumber of AP Number of AP

ScholarsScholars

20012001 100100 195195 1111

20022002 229229 501501 2121

20032003 419419 742742 4949

20042004 528528 966966 8888

20052005 754754 13231323 118118

20062006 693693 12661266 123123

20072007 777777 14591459 146146

How does my child get into How does my child get into PAP/AP classes?PAP/AP classes?

Westside has adopted the College Board’s Westside has adopted the College Board’s policy of open enrollment in AP/PAP policy of open enrollment in AP/PAP courses courses

A student simply indicates the course(s) A student simply indicates the course(s) on the course selection sheeton the course selection sheet

AP PotentialAP Potential

Questions?Questions?

Westside AP CoordinatorWestside AP Coordinator

Stephanie MatlockStephanie Matlock281-920-8022281-920-8022

smatlock@houstonisd.orgsmatlock@houstonisd.org