Is Advanced Placement or ACCELthe right choice for

me?

Forsyth Central High SchoolMonday, January 31, 2011

What Counts in College Admissions?

According to the NACAC Survey of College Admissions Officials, the following represent the percent of officials who cited the factors below as “considerably important”:

Academic rigor of courses 82% SAT Scores 46% Class Rank 42% Overall grades/GPA 42% Application essay 14% Work/school activities 6%

ACCEL Courses at FCHS

ACCEL Pre-Requisites• Offered to seniors only;

• Core GPA thru junior year must be at least a 3.0;

• Minimum test score requirements: • SAT--Critical Reading 530, Math 460 or • ACT--English 24, Math 19

• Listen for announcement regarding a meeting to learn more details and hand-out applications in the NEAR future

ACCEL Courses at FCHS

ACCEL• Take English 1101 & Economics 1st Semester

• Take English 1102 & Political Science 2nd Semester

• Courses taught by Gainesville State College professors on the FCHS campus;

• ACCEL classes are scheduled as the 1st classes of an ACCEL student’s day; classes begin as early as 7:15 am Monday – Thursday; no ACCEL class on Fridays;

• An extra quality point in the cumulative GPA is awarded if a student earns at least a 70 in the course;

• Listen for announcement regarding a meeting to learn more details and hand-out applications in the NEAR future

What is the AP Program ?

College-level curriculum designed and approved by the College Board.

– includes an extensive “standardized” college level end-of-course examination

– world-wide curriculum content and is approved by the the College Board

Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement– Quality Pt Added to GPA (An A in an AP course

earns a 5.0 on 4.0 GPA scale for that course)**

– Credit dependent on AP exam scores and specific college policies.

– Credit, if awarded, is honored at many colleges and universities throughout the nation

– A variety of course offerings are available– Courses are offered grades 9-12– Exam fee ($87.00 per exam)

Things to Remember

Students taking AP exams are awarded exam scores between 1 and 5 by the College Board, with 5 being the highest score awarded.

Students must take the AP exam in each course for which they wish to be considered for college credit. Students are awarded possible college credit based on EXAM scores, NOT AP course grades.

Colleges & universities have their own policies for awarding college credit—please check with individual colleges for that information.

Benefits of the AP Program

Taking AP courses gives students the opportunity to– Refine academic / study skills– Increase self-confidence and

motivation– Prepare for competitive college

admissions process– Possibly earn college credit and/or

placement

Is AP the right choice for me?

Students who are successful in AP courses tend to have:

High interest in learning the subject Strong communication skills (reading,

writing, speaking, listening) Ability to process & understand new

information quickly A positive attitude about challenging

academic work Ability to prioritize tasks & manage time

effectively

Is AP the right choice for me?

Students & parents should evaluate readiness by looking at academic performance, not just academic ability.

Is AP the right choice for me?

AP courses are designed with the motivated, prepared, and

high-achieving student in mind.

Should I Take an AP Course ?

Students & parents should make this decision after considering ALL of the following:

Past & current academic performance Student academic readiness Teacher recommendation Student (not parent) interest &

motivation Demands on time & competing

interests

Am I ready to take an AP course ?

BEFORE registration, students & parents should

Talk to current teachers about performance, readiness & interest.

Talk to AP teachers about course expectations, work-load, and requirements.

Review academic progress with a counselor and discuss performance, readiness & interest.

How do I register for an AP course?

How does AP work with STEM?

• 2012-13 Course Registration Process• Feb 8: Teacher Recommendations Due• Feb 15: Parent Portal Opens• Mar 2: Parent Portal Closes

9th Grade Students & Parents

Are AP & Horizons classes the same?

AP classes are different—

AP classes have college-level expectations for students based on nationally-recognized curriculum standards;

The quantity & quality of work expected in in an AP course requires a greater student commitment of time, energy, and effort inside of & outside of the classroom;

AP courses, resources, teachers & curriculum are reviewed & approved by the College Board annually;

Students may earn college credit, advanced placement, or both—depending on AP exam performance

9th Grade AP Human Geography

Why an AP course in 9th grade? AP Human Geography has been designed & placed in

the curriculum with the 9th grade student in mind; AP courses have been intentionally placed in the

course curriculum with high school graduation requirements and knowledge & skill pre-requisites in mind

Please see the Forsyth County Schools Course Digest at www.forsyth.k12.ga.us for information on course sequencing, pre-requisities, and graduation requirements

AP course availability

INDIVIDUAL COURSE AVAILABILITY at each high school is determined annually by

student registration & course demand,

availability of AP-endorsed teachers,

AND

the requirements of the school’s overall instructional program.

Your Contacts at Forsyth Central High School

Mr. Michel SatterfieldFCHS Assistant Principal / AP

Mrs. Kim HeadFCHS Assistant Principal / STEM

Mrs. Deidre MillerFCHS Lead Counselor / ACCEL

For more information…

AP Central– http://apcentral.collegeboard.com

College & University AP Credit Policies– http://apps.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/

index.jsp AP Student Resources

– www.collegeboard.com/?student AP Parent Resources

– http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/

Meet AP Students & Teachers

Cafeteria          Q & A for Administration, Counseling & ACCEL Program M. Satterfield & D. Miller

MathRm 180                AP Statistics Mrs. Debra BarrineauRm 186                AP Calculus Mrs. Dawn Dirst

ScienceRm 188                 AP Biology Mr. Bill SchuylerRm 188 AP Chemistry Mrs. Kelli SchuylerRm 189                 AP Physics C Mrs. Laura EnglebertRm 189 AP Environmental Sci. Mrs. Jessica Dunne

Meet AP Students & Teachers

English / Language Arts

Rm 193                  AP English Language Mrs. Karen KnableRm 201                  AP English Literature Mrs. Margaret Ann Thompson

Fine Arts & World Languages

Rm 187                 AP Studio Art Mr. Kevin WhitleyRm 187 AP Art History Mr. Kevin WhitleyRm 205 AP Spanish Language Dr. Gloria Green

Meet AP Students & Teachers

Social Studies

Rm 190              AP United States History Mrs. Susan NodineRm 190 AP World History Mr. Eric PrinceRm 191                AP European History Mrs. Jennifer GarnerRm 191 AP Government Mr. Patrick WebbRm 191 AP Human Geography Mrs. Jennifer Garner &

Mr. Patrick Webb