Fort Collins High School Advanced Placement

 

WHAT IS ADVANCED PLACEMENT?

Advanced placement courses provide the opportunity for students to take college - level courses and exams while enrolled in high school.  The program offers 35 courses at 14,000 high schools.  In 2003, over 900,000 students worldwide took Advanced Placement Exams.  Faculty members on college campuses report that students who challenge themselves with Advanced Placement Courses are better prepared for rigorous academic work.  According to a recent report, selective universities like to see between three and six Advanced Placement Courses on a high school transcript (9-12).  Of course, this is a general statement and students must consult with the admissions office of the college they are interested in to inquire about specifics.

 

WHAT ABOUT COLLEGE CREDIT?

The College Board suggests that applicants for college who have taken Advanced Placement courses in high school are much better prepared for the rigor of college courses.  Every year, hundreds of students enter college with credit from Advanced Placement Exams, which are given in the spring.  Please be aware that students may take Advanced Placement courses and decide not to take the Advanced Placement Exam in the spring.  Additionally, students may choose to take an Advanced Placement Exam without taking the Advanced Placement course.  If students score a 3, 4, or 5 on an exam, this credit may allow students to accelerate into upper-level courses or complete an undergraduate degree in fewer than four years - a considerable financial savings.  Colleges have various standards about what score is acceptable.  College Admissions Directors prefer to see rigorous course selections such as Advanced Placement on transcripts even if students do not receive an “A” in those courses.  The University of Colorado at Boulder awards 10 semester hours of credit for students who score a 4 or 5 on the AP Chemistry Exam.  Students who score a 4 or 5 on the AP Literature and Composition Exam are awarded 6 semester hours of credit at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  Most colleges have a comparable system of awarding credit.

 

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES

**denotes AP course offerings at Fort Collins High School

**Computer Science AB --Teacher: Mike Goar
**Computer Science A --Teacher: Mike Goar
**Calculus AB --Teacher: Craig Luckasen
**Calculus BC --Teacher: Craig Luckasen
**Statistics --Teacher: Chris Suppes
**Chemistry --Teacher: Ron Jensen
**Physics B --Teacher: Mike Steinle
Physics C - Mechanics--
Physics C - Electricity and Magnetism --
**Biology--Teacher-- Michelle Goodwine
Environmental Science
**Music Theory --Teacher: Matt Spieker
**Art History--
Studio Art: Drawing, 2-D, 3-D
Latin: Vergil
Latin: Literature

Government & Politics: Comparative
**Government & Politics: United States --Teacher: Rick Nelson
History (European, **United States, World) --Teachers: Pat Busteed, Christine Matthie
**Human Geography --Teacher: Tom Davis
Economics: Macro
Economics: Micro
**Psychology --Teacher: Elaine Holmes
Spanish (**Language, Literature) --Teacher: Lynne Atencio
French (**Language, Literature) --Teacher: Jennifer Roth
**German Language --Teacher: Teri Thorburn
**Literature & Composition--Teacher: Rhys Roberts
**Language & Composition --Teachers: Katie Auman, Mary Dietrich
International English Language

AP Coordinators: Joe Ahlbrandt & Jeanne Miller

 

2007 FORT COLLINS HIGH SCHOOL STATISTICS

277 FCHS students took a total of 477 AP Exams in 2007 with the following results.

                                     SCORE                                                  NUMBER OF STUDENTS

                                          5                                                         104

                                          4                                                         144

                                          3                                                         155

                                          2                                                           58

                                          1                                                           15

 

For additional information on the AP program visit the College Board web site at: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/Controller.jpf

Adjusted Bonus Points System - Adjusted GPA

 

                                                                      PoudreSchool District's adjusted GPA system is a variation on a weightedgrading system. It enables students to earn bonus points of .002 foreach credit earned in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate(IB) courses in which students receive a grade of A, B, or C. The bonuspoint factor of .002 is multiplied by the total number of AP or IBcredits earned by students and added to the existing GPA. This meansstudent graduating in 2005 and beyond can earn GPAs higher than 4.0                                                                      

 

Siemens Foundation gives awards and scholarships to AP students

Scholarships in the amount of $2000 are awarded to students from each of the 50 states who have earned the greatest number of AP grades of 5 in eight exams. Each state potentially has two winners, one male and one female. Two additional national winners (one male, one female) are awarded a $5000 college scholarship.

http://www.siemens-foundation.org/awards/AboutSAAP.htm

AP SCHOLAR AWARDS:

  • 92 students at Fort Collins High School have earned the designation of AP SCHOLAR by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program Exams in May 2006.
  • The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the more than one million high school students in more than 15,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.
  • 2 students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, AND grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.
  • 31 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, AND grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
  • 22 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, AND grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
  • 39 Students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams, with grades of 3 or higher.

Links to some of the FCHS AP Classes:

Class Title

Website Link:

AP Chemistry

http://staffweb.psdschools.org/rjensen/new_apchem_home/ap_main_page.htm

AP Statistics

http://staffweb.psdschools.org/csuppes/APStatistics/APStatistics.htm

AP Language & Composition

http://staffweb.psdschools.org/kauman/AP%20Language/APLanguageHome.htm

AP Language

http://home.comcast.net/%7Eaplanguage/apindex.htm

AP Physics

http://staffweb.psdschools.org/jolee/sciencedept/

AP Psychology

http://staffweb.psdschools.org/eholmes/appsy.html

Advanced Placement Program Facts from AP Central:

  • The AP Program offers 37 courses in 22 subject areas.
  • Nearly 60 percent of U.S. high schools participate in the AP Program.
  • In 2005, 2.1 million AP Exams were administered worldwide.
  • More than 60,000 teachers worldwide attended AP workshops and institutes for professional development last year.
  • Over 90 percent of the nation's colleges and universities have an AP policy granting incoming students credit, placement, or both, for qualifying AP Exam grades.

AP can change your life.

Through college-level AP courses, you enter a universe of knowledge that might otherwise remain unexplored in high school; through AP Exams, you have the opportunity to earn credit or advanced standing at most of the nation's colleges and universities.

Why Participate?

With 37 courses and exams across 22 subject areas, AP offers something for everyone. The only requirements are a strong curiosity about the subject you plan to study and the willingness to work hard. Here are just a few reasons to sign up:

Gain the Edge in College Preparation

  • Get a head start on college-level work.
  • Improve your writing skills and sharpen your problem-solving techniques.
  • Develop the study habits necessary for tackling rigorous course work.
  • Stand Out in the College Admissions Process
  • Demonstrate your maturity and readiness for college.
  • Show your willingness to push yourself to the limit.
  • Emphasize your commitment to academic excellence.
  • Broaden Your Intellectual Horizons
  • Explore the world from a variety of perspectives, most importantly your own.
  • Study subjects in greater depth and detail.
  • Assume the responsibility of reasoning, analyzing, and understanding for yourself.