Welcome to SPHS AP and Honors
Night 2015
Exploring High School AP and
Honors Course Curriculum
~AGENDA~•
• Welcome and
Introduction
• Understanding College
credit, High School GPAs
and Hope Scholarship
• Rigor and course content
• Realistic expectations
• Summer reading
assignments
• Announcements
Why should my son/daughter take Advanced
Placement (AP) or Honors Level Classes?
College perspective
of AP or Honors
courses
“Exhausting the
Curriculum”
College acceptance,
scholarships and
grants
What do the numbers mean?
AP
10 quality points added to
the grade
If the grade earned in the
class is an 84, then it will
appear as a 94 on your
transcript
This is to provide an
incentive for students to
take a more academically
challenging class
Honors
5 quality points added to
the grade
If the grade earned in the
class is an 84, then it will
appear as a 89 on your
transcript
This is to provide an
incentive for students to try
an advanced course
without committing to an
AP course
These points are not added until the final report card. No points are added if
your average is 69 or below.
Advanced Placement and AP
College Board All AP classes follow the extended curriculum of not only the State
of GA standards, but AP College Board standards as well
All AP classes have a Nationally Certified AP College Board Exam
at the end of the course in May
The scores on the exams are 1-5
5 Extremely qualified (receives college credit in most colleges)
4 Well qualified (receives college credit in some colleges)
3 Qualified (passing…still receives college credit in some
colleges)
2 Not Recommended for college credit
1 Not passing
Navigating AP Scores
University of Georgia
Fiscal Year 2014-2015
Tuition Rates per Semester
(Fall 2014 and Spring 2015)
In-State (Resident)
Undergraduate Rates (tuition
does not include fees)
6 hours or less $2,552
More than 6 hours $4,295
Cost savings per AP passing
course $1276
Ga Tech
Fiscal Year 2014-2015
Tuition Rates per Semester
(Fall 2014 and Spring 2015)
In-State (Resident)
Undergraduate Rates (tuition
does not include fees)
6 hours or less $2,675
More than 6 hours $4501
Cost savings per AP passing
course $1337
GPA & The Hope Scholarship
The weight for honors courses is removed for Hope
Scholarship purposes.
The weight for AP courses changes.
Instead of adding 10 points to the 100 point scale,
Hope adds .5 to the 4.0 scale.
For example, An 80 in AP Human Geography
(weighted to 90 in the local 100 point GPA) becomes
a 3.5 for Hope (80 = 3.0 then add.5)
A complete listing of HOPE Rigor courses may be found
at GACollege411.org. Click on HOPE Scholarship
Information and scroll down to rigor requirements link (in
blue).
Zell Miller Scholarship
Zell Miller 3.7 GPA + 1200 Math/Reading SAT Score
or 26 ACT
To Be Eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, and in
Addition to Grade Point Average and Other
Requirements:
Students Graduating after May 1, 2015 Must Have
Two Full Academic Credits (Rigorous courses)
Students Graduating after May 1, 2016 Must Have
Three Academic Credits (Rigorous Courses)
Students Graduating after May 1, 2017 Must Have
Four Full Academic Credits (Rigorous Courses)
Honors and AP Courses count as rigorous courses
What’s the Difference?
Honors
Higher order thinking
Increased content
knowledge
Application of concepts
More written/explanation
of assignments and
assessments
AP
Increased rigor and higher
order thinking
Expectation of level of
preparedness PRIOR to class
(i.e. reading and preparing of
material the night before)
Not only application of
concepts but analysis and
connections to other events or
concepts
Even more written/explanation
of assignments and
assessments
Rigor and Course Expectations Speed…as well as depth of knowledge
Anticipated homework—LOTS of reading,
writing and analysis
Anticipated participation—student engagement
and class discussion
Anticipated assessments—more explanation,
analysis, making connections, etc…more written
assessments
AP courses generally have not only the Ga State
Standards to cover, but the College Board
curriculum as well
AP & Honors – Rigorous
Curriculum
Students will read, write, and perform
calculations at a higher level than the
standard curriculum.
Students will have more frequent out-of-
class assignments.
Tests and quizzes will assess students at
a higher knowledge and/or skill level than
the regular curriculum.
What are the expectations for behavior in
advanced courses?
Classroom Behavior: Honors and AP courses are upper level courses, therefore, it is expected that all students behave in manner that reflects a higher level of maturity.
Honors and AP courses are not a place for disciplinary issues or disruptive behaviors.
Students with high rates of absenteeism generally do not perform well in advanced classes do to the speed of the course
The Advantages of AP & Honors
Students are cognitively challenged and
become more prepared for future courses.
Competitive colleges and universities look
for students who take these rigorous
courses in high school.
Students in these courses are typically
more motivated creating a more stable
learning environment.
More AP Advantages
Research shows that taking AP courses in
high school is related to future success.
AP Students graduate college on-time at a
higher rate.
AP students outperform their peers who did
not take AP.
For more information on the AP Program,
visit http://apcentral.collegeboard.com.
Realistic Expectations
Course loads
Grades
A “C” in an Honors/AP course is NOT the end
of the world!
Balancing extra-curricular with curriculum
Successful Students Motivated, Self-starters
Organized, Strong work ethic
Engaged in class participation and asks
questions
Takes advantage of teacher created
materials
Tutoring
Rubrics and study guides
Information on PPT
Teacher websites
Teacher/Student Challenges Lack of motivation
Unwillingness to accept personal
individual responsibility
Lacking a work ethic
Unaccustomed to work load, higher level
of learning
Not as many grades—less “fluff” grades
Lack of coping skills to manage stress
“The Dog Ate My Homework”Summer Reading Assignments are the “norm”—expect
them for most Honors/AP classes
Where can your student find them?
Individual teachers
SPHS Webpage
Paulding County Webpage
What if I don’t like it?
The class is a full year commitment.
You will not be able to drop the class---
decide now if you want to take this class!
How to Make Changes
Please send an email to your student’s counselor by this Monday, May 18th. All email addresses are @paulding.k12.ga.us 9th Christie Couch ccouch
10th Christie Couch ccouch
11th Ann Flowers aflowers
12th David Seawell dseawell
Any questions about the courses can be answered tonight by the department representatives after we dismiss from this session.
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