Jupiter High School offers both university level curricula to meet the needs of our students. Here we present some of the advantages and challenges of each so that you can better decide! Students can excel in both curricula at the same time, as each compliments the other, not competes.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Strengths of an AP curriculum:

1. A.P. courses are often as challenging as introductory courses at the university level.

2. College credit can be earned for scoring well on an AP test or a student may be able to "opt out" of introductory general education courses. Each university provides the scores needed on A.P. exams to earn university credits. You can identify what scores are needed by checking a university's "A.P. Equivalency" chart provided on their website.

3. Success in A.P. classes and on exams shows the university that a student is ready for college-level work.

4. Earning college credits while still in high school enables you to save tuition costs.

5. Universities and colleges in Florida AND out-of-state award college credits earned through passing most A.P. examinations.

6. JHS offers a wide variety of high interest , challenging AP courses.

Challenges

1. The classes are VERY challenging and require preparation, study, dedication AND TIME outside the classroom.

2. Universities each make their own decisions about test scores needed and credits given, so putting in the hard work necessary may not pay off in college credit.

3. Taking an AP course one is not particularly interested in can possibly damage the GPA.

4. A VERY Large amount of information must often be covered so the pace is brisk and can be overwhelming.

A few of our A.P. teachers have shared their thoughts in completion of this lead:

"The students who are most successful in A.P are...."

"Willing to take risks and apply constructive feedback." Ms. "K" - A.P. Studio Art

"Good readers, resilient, and hard working; they are willing to be challenged and stretched." Mrs. Hanssen - A.P. U.S. History

"SELF-DRIVEN learners who are intrinsically motivated, have a real DESIRE to understand biology at a college level, have the TIME and DEDICATION for a rigorous class, understand that AP Biology is not just one step up from freshman biology; it's about FIVE STEPS UP, and can incorporate math into science and interpret graphs." Mrs. Rodgers - A.P. Biology

"Self motivated, disciplined and would really like to know more about the subject." Mr. Sciacca - A.P. World History

"Ones who exhibit accountability, humility, perseverance, and grit. The student must be willing to put forth the effort to achieve academic growth and success." Mrs. Gilbert - A.P. Language & Composition

"Ones who want increased rigor based upon analysis and synthesis of information, not simply recall. These students are driven to further investigate topics and recognize the interrelated nature of their study." Mr. Skeie - A.P. Human Geography, A.P. Government & Politics

Cambridge University's Advanced International Certificate of Education: A.I.C.E.

Strengths of an A.I.C.E. curriculum:

1. Students who earn an A.I.C.E. diploma (passing 7 A.I.C.E. exams in 3 years) & the required # of community service hours automatically qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.

2. College credit can be earned by scoring well on "AS level" tests in the state of Florida or on "A level" tests outside the state of Florida or a student may be able to "opt out" of introductory general education courses. Each Florida university provides the scores needed on Cambridge exams, both AS and A level, to earn university credits (see our JHS AICE Weebly at: http://jhsaice.weebly.com/university-course-credits.html )

3. Success in A.I.C.E. classes and on exams shows the university that a student is ready for college-level work.

4. Earning college credits while still in high school enables you to save tuition costs.

5. JHS offers a wide variety of high interest , challenging "AS level" courses and some "A Level" courses.

6. Because A.I.C.E. tests are entirely essay-based, students successful in the program exhibit a strength in writing not shared by many college bound students.

7. Public colleges & universities in Florida award credits earned through passing A.S. level examinations.

Challenges

1. The classes are challenging and require preparation and study outside the classroom.

2. Most universities outside the state of Florida require "A Level" test scores to make decisions about credits given while JHS's offering of "A Level" courses is limited.

3. Taking an A.I.C.E. course that one is not particularly interested in can possibly damage the GPA.

4. Taking multiple A.I.C.E. courses can be overwhelming.

5. Some exams at the end of the course are entirely essay-based which can be intimidating to some.

A few of our A.I.C.E. teachers have shared their thoughts in completion of this lead:

"The students who are most successful in A.I.C.E. are...."

" are ones that are truly interested in science; are motivated & dedicated enough to put in the extra study/work time to really grasp the concepts; participate in class discussions/ ask questions for clarification." Aaron Lichtig - AICE Marine Science AS & A levels; AICE Environmental Management AS

"those who are willing to work hard in order to effectively articulate their thoughts and ideas." Melanie Jones - AICE Literature AS and AICE English Language AS

"self-disciplined, open-minded, and conscientious." Janina Jeffs - AICE English General Paper AS

"eager to take control over their learning, unafraid of open-ended questions and are willing to look for creative solutions to problems big or small." Michael DeLeonardo - AICE Global Perspectives AS & A levels, Classical Studies A level

"are motivated to succeed, ask questions for clarification and complete homework assignments with the same diligence as in-class assignments." Debi DePasquale - AICE Language AS

"are motivated to delve into the concepts and ideas that inspire them, all the while taking risks and applying newly gained knowledge." Sarah Knudtson - AICE Digital Media & Design AS & A levels

"strong learners; can work independently, be resourceful, be able to follow explicit directions, and, of course, be consistent with turning in work promptly. " Natalie DelloBuono - AICE Marine Science AS