AP AND DUAL CREDIT SOUTH MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL

AP AND DUAL CREDIT @ SOUTH MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL

THE BASICS - AP • Advanced Placement (AP) Courses – collegelevel courses offered in high school • AP Exams – standardized exams that measure how well students have mastered college-level course work • Earning College Credit – students who do well on AP Exams can earn credit and/or placement into advanced courses in college 2

THE BENEFITS OF AP COURSES • Challenging work that pays off • Often the most interesting and fulfilling courses a student takes in high school • Develop confidence • Learn study habits and time management skills essential for success in college • Scholarships • Competitive College Admissions 3

AP AND COLLEGE ADMISSION • Colleges rank “Grades in college prep courses” and “Strength of curriculum” as the top two factors in the admission decision • 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions “We look favorably on students who have taken AP courses. The presence of AP courses is a sign that a student has chosen to challenge him/herself. ” 4 —Admission Officer

AP COURSES OFFERED BY SMHS: • AP Biology • AP Psychology • AP Chemistry • AP Calculus • AP Physics • AP Calculus 2 (North classroom) • AP English Composition • AP Studio Art • AP English Literature • AP Computer Science Principals • AP Human Geography • AP Spanish Language • AP US History • AP Spanish Literature • AP European History

WHAT ARE AP COURSES LIKE? • Classes tend to be fast-paced and cover more material than typical high school classes • More time required both inside and outside the classroom to complete lessons, assignments and homework • Teachers expect students to think critically, analyze and synthesize facts and data, weigh competing perspectives, and write clearly and persuasively 6

AP EXAMS • Administered May 6 th -17 th • Exams usually last around three hours • Each AP Exam contains: • Multiple-choice questions • Free-response questions (essay, problem-solving, oral response) 7

WHY TAKE AP EXAMS? • Over 3, 200 colleges and universities offer credit or advanced placement for qualifying AP Exam scores (more than 90 percent of four-year U. S. colleges and universities) • Save Money on College Tuition Fees! 8

AP CREDIT POLICY INFORMATION Information about AP credit and placement policies at many colleges and universities is available at www. collegeboard. com/ap/creditpolicy • Search by college or university name • You will see two things for each school o A link to the college’s web page that details its AP credit and placement policies o A statement by the college or university about its AP policy 9

SIGN UP FOR AP EXAMS BY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 TH

THE BASICS – DUAL CREDIT • Earn college credit while taking classes in high school • Credit earned will either be from RCC, SOU, or Lane Community College • Most dual credit classes are either Advanced Placement classes, junior/senior level classes, or career and technical classes 11

THE BENEFITS OF DUAL CREDIT COURSES • Free or low-cost college credit • Challenging and interesting classes • Develop confidence • Learn study habits and time management skills essential for success in college • Competitive College Admissions 12

DUAL CREDIT AND COLLEGE ADMISSION • Credits earned in high school transfer to most colleges and universities. • Could potentially enter college with a large number of college credits 13

WHAT ARE DUAL CREDIT COURSES LIKE? • Tend to be fast-paced and cover more material than typical high school classes • More time required both inside and outside the classroom to complete lessons, assignments and homework • College-Level Coursework 14

DUAL CREDIT EXPANDS STUDENT OPTIONS College credit earned through dual credit classes allows students to: • move into upper-level college courses sooner • pursue a double major • gain time to study and travel abroad 15

WHICH OPTION DO I CHOOSE? • AP • DUAL CREDIT • Credit relies on test performance • Cost = free or few hundred $$ • Cost = Free with Measure 98 • Number of credits pre-determined Grant • Accepted by fewer colleges • Number of credits awarded varies • Widely accepted by colleges

EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT IN HIGH SCHOOL • Advanced Placement – AP • Advanced Southern Credit – ASC • Early Entry – SOU • College Now – RCC & LCC • RCC Campus Classes

ADVANCED SOUTHERN CREDIT (ASC) • Standard college courses certified by Southern Oregon University • Offered as part of a customary high school curriculum • Transcribed by the SOU Registrar's office • Register in the high school class by term • $43 per credit

ASC COURSE OFFERINGS • • • • AP Biology AP Calculus 2 (NMHS) AP Language & Composition AP Literature & Composition AP Psychology AP Statistics AP U. S. History Anatomy & Physiology Astronomy (NMHS) Spanish 4 & 5 Pre-Calculus Honors Learners & Learning/Human Development Speech and Debate

COLLEGE NOW – RCC & LCC • Free college credit for taking specific SMHS courses • Registration varies from class to class and term to term • Most Oregon colleges accept this credit.

COLLEGE NOW COURSE OFFERINGS • AP Psychology • Career and College 11 & 12 • Auto Service Advanced • Culinary 3 (LCC) • Digital Technology • Culinary 4 (LCC) • Pre-Calculus - Regular and Honors • Welding • Introduction to Healthcare • Learners and Learning • Exploring Careers in Healthcare • Advanced Strength and Speed • Medical Terminology • Advanced Musicianship • Sports Medicine

SOU EARLY ENTRY Taking classes on the SOU campus 100 and 200 level courses $86 per credit or $344 for a typical 4 credit course. See counselor for information.

RCC CAMPUS CLASSES • Students take classes at RCC • Transportation is provided (RVTD) • District will pay for the course • Must fill out Underage Enrollment Form and RCC Permission Slip (PFC) • Take and pass the Placement test. • Register at the appropriate time for courses.

WHICH OPTION IS BEST FOR ME? • RCC 1. Free 2. Accepted at all Oregon Public Universities and Community Colleges 3. Good option if you plan on attending RCC after graduation. • SOU 1. $43 per credit (scholarship available for students on free/reduced lunch) 2. Higher transferability among colleges and universities (especially private and out-of-state institutions • AP Exam 3. If 1. MSD is paying for all tests for 2019 2. Highest transferability you are a good test taker *Reaching out to colleges/universities and inquiring about their dual credit policies is completely acceptable.

THINGS TO BE AWARE OF…. Along with the opportunities provided as a result of participating in dual credit programs comes certain responsibilities to ensure you participation is a positive and successful endeavor. • Students need to be aware of important dates and deadlines pertaining to dropping or withdrawing from college courses. Failure to drop or withdraw will result in a failing grade on a college transcript. • Having a failing grade on a college transcript can result in forfeiting future financial aid. For example, at RCC a GPA under 2. 0 results in academic probation. This can also affect future Pell Grant, scholarship, and loan eligibility. • Proficiency Grading Policy: College professors do not grade on a proficiency system. Be sure your student knows when/how grades are submitted to the college. This applies to both the programs housed here at South and those on the college campuses. • Athletic Eligibility: If you sign up for RCC Courses as a part of your SMHS course load needed to maintain athletic eligibility and drop a course, you may lose your eligibility.

LEARN MORE • For more information about the AP Program, email Ms. Breton at mary. breton@medford. k 12. or. us • For more information about AP courses and exams visit www. collegeboard. com/apstudents • For more information about Dual Credit options, email Robyn Kondziela at robyn. kondziela@medford. k 12. or. us 26