Advanced Placements are college level courses that are operated by the College Board. These higher level courses are offered at our High School (see course catalog) to provide students an opportunity to earn college credits and challenge themselves in a field of interest.
Each AP course has a set curriculum and set exam at the end of the course. That curriculum and exam are designed by the College Board, not by the DASD. The DASD AP teachers have been trained in the AP course curriculum and exam for which they are preparing students. The AP test occurs at the end of the year and usually consists of a multiple choice and writing portion. Depending on a student's performance on the AP test, they will be given a score from one to five (1-5). A three 3 is considered a solid score, a 4 is really good, and a 5 is outstanding. Depending on the college a student ends up attending they may be able to receive college credits for 3s, 4s, and 5s on AP exams.
Students may choose to take AP classes because they give a student the opportunity to challenge themselves in a particular field of interest. Additionally, they give a student the sense of the material and rigor that they will be exposed to when they get to college. Finally, taking an AP class does show a college that a student is challenging themselves and can handle the rigor of a college-level course.
