Why Should You Take AP Classes?

• Taking an AP course will help you to build critical

thinking skills, confidence, and the essential time
management and study skills needed for college -
and life! - success.
• Nationally, research shows students who score a
3 or higher on an AP Exam typically earn higher
grade point averages in college and have higher
graduation rates than their non-AP peers.*
*2009, The College Board, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes
 is an innovative program that helps you
stand out in the college admissions process by
developing the critical skills needed to succeed in college
and in life.
Emphasizes Critical Skills Needed Complements the in-depth
for College & Beyond subject-matter study in AP

AP Seminar and AP Research allow you to immerse

yourself in topics that matter to you, while they develop
the analytic, research, problem-solving, and
communication skills that colleges seek in their
applicants.
 Research 🡪 Certificate
AP Seminar (Year 1)

🡪 AP Capstone Diploma 🡪
Team Project & Presentation

AP Seminar &
Individual Research-Based Essay

🡪
End-of-Course Exam

AP Research (Year 2)
Academic Paper

Presentation & Oral Defense

4 AP Courses & Exams

(Taken at any point throughout high school)
QUEST
 AP Seminar (Typically taken in grade 10 or 11.)

You will learn to: The Exam Score is based on:

Investigate real-world topics 1. (25%) Team Project &

from multiple perspectives Presentation
Carefully analyze information,
write evidence-based 2. (35%)
arguments and effectively Individual Research-Based
communicate them Essay & Presentation

Work independently and with 3. (40%)

a team to research a topic, End-of-Course AP Exam
develop a written report and
deliver a presentation
 AP Research (Typically taken in grade 11 or 12.)

You will learn to: The Exam Score is based on:

Design, plan, and conduct a

year-long mentored, 1. (75%)
research-based investigation Academic Paper
Apply research methods and (4,000 - 5,000 words)
practices to address a real-world
topic selected by the student
2. (25%)
Write a college-level research
paper Presentation and
Oral Defense
Present and orally defend
research findings methodology
 The Benefits:
• Earn Distinction: Stand out in the college admission
process and have the opportunity to earn valuable
college credit or placement
• Acquire Critical Skills: You will acquire rigorous
college-level analysis, writing, and research skills that
are increasingly valued by colleges, and employers.
• Choose what to study: You choose your own research
topic and study issues and topics of interest and
importance to you.
 Support from Colleges for
• Colleges rank grades in college-preparatory courses and strength of curriculum as the
two top factors in the admission decision.

• Completing the AP Capstone courses tells college admission officials you are
challenging yourself and preparing for the rigors you’ll encounter at their institution
and beyond.
▪ Amherst College
▪ Auburn University
▪ ▪ Boston College
▪ Brown University
▪ Bucknell University
▪ Carnegie Mellon University
▪ Clemson University
▪ College of William and Mary
▪ Colorado State University
▪ Columbia University
▪ Florida Atlantic University
▪ Florida Gulf Coast University
▪ Florida International
University
▪ Florida Polytechnic
University
▪
▪ Florida State University
▪ Georgetown University
▪ Georgia Institute of
Technology
▪ Harvard University
▪ Johns Hopkins University
▪ Mass. Institute of
Technology
▪ Pitzer College
▪ Purdue University
▪ Texas A&M University
▪ Texas State University San
Marcos
▪ Univ of CA at Berkeley
▪ University of Central Florida
▪ University of Chicago
▪ University of Florida
▪ University of Georgia
▪ University of Houston
▪ University of Miami
▪ University of Minnesota
▪ Univ. of North Carolina at C.
Hill
▪ University of North Florida
▪ University of Rochester
▪ University of South Carolina
▪ University of South Florida
▪ University of Vermont
▪ University of Washington
▪ University of
Wisconsin-Madison
▪ Vanderbilt University
▪ Yale University
 You will be required to...
•Work in groups for MANY graded assignments
•Write, Write, and Write some more
•Give presentations regularly (starting next week)
•Be recorded on video, both to see personal growth
and to be sent in to College Board
Plagiarism Policy: (From the College Board)
It is expected that students will “ethically use and acknowledge the ideas and work of others
throughout their course work. The student’s individual voice should be clearly evident, and the ideas of
others must be acknowledged, attributed, and/or cited.
A student who fails to acknowledge the source or author of any and all information or evidence taken
from the work of someone else through citation, attribution or reference in the body of the work, or
through a bibliographic entry, will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar
and/or AP Research Performance Assessment Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that fails to
properly acknowledge sources or authors on the Written Team Report will receive a group score of 0
for that component of the Team Project and Presentation.
A student who incorporates falsified or fabricated information (e.g. evidence, data, sources, and/or
authors) will receive a score of 0 on that particular component of the AP Seminar and/or AP Research
Performance Assessment Task. In AP Seminar, a team of students that incorporates falsified or
fabricated information in the Written Team Report will receive a group score of 0 for that component of
the Team Project and Presentation
 All College Board Deadlines are BINDING and
NON-NEGOTIABLE. This supersedes any and all
QHHS or AVUHSD practices regarding late-work
deadlines.
Note: At the conclusion of Quarter 2 the teacher can no
longer offer direct one-on-one feedback. This is a mandate
from College Board*. Starting in December, the students
are working directly towards their AP Performance Tasks
and Exam. There still may be general lessons to the class,
but the majority of the remaining class time is working
either on the group or independent portions of the AP Score
(Performance Tasks 1 and 2).

* This also applies to mentors, tutors, and parents who

work with the students.
 My Role
As provided by the College Board, in reference
to the AP Seminar Course, the following
explains the roles that a teacher may and
may not take as students enter into the AP
Graded portion of the course. This also applies
to any non-high school student/adult who may
wish to work with a student during the AP
scored section of the course.
 Teachers may...

Ømust ensure students are aware of the task, timeline,

components, and scoring criteria
Ømay explore issues, discuss topics and perspectives, and/or
question students as necessary
Øoversee the formation of groups (Performance Task 1 only)
Ømay continue whole-class teaching of skills pertinent to the
performance task as students are working on their research
and/or presentations
Ømay share the rubric with students
Ømay encourage students to review each other’s work
 Teachers MAY NOT...
ØAssign, provide, distribute, or generate research
questions for students
ØConduct or provide research/articles/evidence for
students
ØWrite, revise, amend, or correct student work
ØGive specific, directive feedback to individual groups
ØReveal defense questions to students prior to the
presentation