Why AP Capstone?
Why AP Capstone?
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"AP Capstone has already been super helpful in college! As a biology major, I’ve been required to write lab reports, analyze data, and even write a scientific paper. Having this program in high school has given me confidence in my classes and an advantage over other students!"
Abigail Hutteger, Class of '23
Colleges recognize that AP Capstone students enter with stronger preparation and a higher likelihood of success. The program spans two years and centers on AP Seminar and AP Research. To earn the AP Capstone Diploma, students also choose any four additional AP courses and score a 3 or higher on each exam. It’s a distinction that gets noticed.
Other AP courses teach you, in depth, about a specific subject. AP Seminar and AP Research are different. They allow you to explore topics you care about and focus on helping you develop academic skills you can use in any discipline: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Conducting Research & Public Speaking.
Having AP Capstone on your application is a credential that carries real weight in the admissions process. Colleges know that you can tackle complex ideas, manage long-term work, and produce high-level results. It sets you apart in competitive applicant pools and signals to scholarships that you’re a strong investment.
AP Capstone Diploma Course Requirements
AP Capstone Diploma Course Requirements
4 Advanced Placement Courses
4 Advanced Placement Courses
AP Capstone lets students design their own path by choosing any four AP courses offered at Millard West. Across the STEM and Humanities fields, students tailor their diploma experience with classes that genuinely spark their interest. Applying the learning from them in the AP Seminar and AP Research curriculum, students master the academic research process, ultimately producing a doctoral-level paper and oral defense worthy of publication.
Students must earn a 3 or higher on AP Exams to earn an AP Capstone diploma. Explore AP Course offerings
AP Seminar (11th Grade)
AP Seminar (11th Grade)
AP SEMINAR (10 Credits)
Description: AP Seminar engages students in exploring academic and real-world topics by looking through a lens of multiple perspectives utilizing different mediums and sources of information. Students will learn how to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own insights in written work, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a collaborative team. Students will complete the class with enhanced skills in evaluation and synthesizing information through an evidenced based approach.
Prerequisites: None
Assessment Overview: The AP Seminar assessment has three parts: two performance tasks which are completed over the course of the year and submitted online for scoring through the AP Digital Portfolio. The third part is the end-of-course AP Exam.
AP Research (12th Grade)
AP Research (12th Grade)
AP RESEARCH (10 Credits)
Description: AP Research, the second course for AP Capstone™, allows students to get more in depth with an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest. Students will design, plan, and implement an investigation throughout the school year, to address a research question. Through this process, they further the skills they acquired in the AP Seminar course by learning and applying research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information. Students will get the opportunity to reflect on their research development, record their processes, and collect the artifacts of their project through a process and reflection portfolio. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000 - 5,000 words (accompanied by a performance, exhibit, or product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense.
Prerequisites: AP Seminar
Assessment Overview: AP Research students are assessed on the finalized academic paper, presentation and oral defense of the research. The academic paper is 4,000–5,000 words, and the presentation and defense take approximately 15–20 minutes. There is no end-of-course written exam for AP Research. Instead, students are assessed on performance tasks that are completed from the year long research project. Students will write an academic paper which is submitted online for scoring through the AP Digital Portfolio along with a presentation and an oral defense of their research.
Real Skills. Real Impact.
Real Skills. Real Impact.
"Since arriving at college, my professors have complimented me on the quality of my assignments. I'm able to look ahead and lay out a schedule so that I can break large study sessions or final papers into more manageable chunks and I'm never worried about upcoming research reports, because I've written plenty of them. My English professor was surprised when I instincually added research to back up my work and I've been praised often by my speech professor for how I effectively make my points while engaging with my audience. The Capstone program has definitely given me a leg up over my peers in my first year of college "
Carolyn Chapin , Class of '25
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