AP philosophy

AP Philosophy

Seymour High School embraces high academic standards and provides rigorous academic experiences including a variety of Advanced Placement courses. Advanced Placement courses are introductory college classes that may place a high demand on time spent outside of the classroom which can impact an individual's ability to be successful elsewhere or to participate in extracurricular activities. When considering Advanced Placement (AP) courses, students and their parents need to consider a variety of factors including other obligations and the quality and quantity of family time that may be offset by the demands of AP courses. AP course workloads will be significantly different than those of other classes offered at Seymour High School. 

Each department at Seymour High School has a slightly different philosophy based on prerequisite knowledge necessary for a student to be successful both in class and when taking the AP exam. Therefore, teacher recommendations should play a vital role in your decision making process. Some courses will require prerequisite courses and or prerequisite grades in order to qualify to sign up for that course. 

It is possible that students will struggle in AP courses and for some this may result in lower unweighted grades in that course. Therefore, students will receive a bonus multiplier of 1.2 for AP level courses which is applied to the overall weighted grade point average (GPA), which is utilized to determine class rank. For example, a grade of 80 is a 96 (1.2 x 80) when determining class rank. 

For parents and students who are undecided; We encourage calculated academic risk taking for students who have weighed all of the factors and who have demonstrated a will to persevere through personal inquiry into misunderstood topics, who seek extra help from their teachers and peers, who have a passion for the subject area, who are able to manage their time, who demonstrate integrity to themselves and others, who demonstrate a growth mindset (Carol Dweck) and who demonstrate grit (Angela Duckworth).

Advanced Placement Course Commitment

The Seymour Public School District recognizes the value of student participation in advanced academic courses and encourages students to graduate from high school with at least one AP or pre-college class as a foundation of college readiness. AP courses are designed to challenge students beyond grade- level academics and prepare them for success in future advanced academics. Students may require additional encouragement and support from both family and school to be successful in AP courses.

General AP Course Expectations:

Students are required to take the AP exams for all AP courses in which they are enrolled during the 2021-2022 school year. The exams are given over a two-week period in May. Students and parents will be responsible for paying the College Board the associated fee in order to take the AP exam. Students who fail to take the assessment will have their course changed from an AP to Honors level course and will be required to take a final exam, regardless of their overall average.

Students found to be a discipline problem (i.e. disruptive, insubordinate, refusal to complete tasks) may be removed from the AP class. A student / parent / teacher / administrator / counselor conference will be held before removal. AP fees will not be refunded.

Selection of students is based on their performance in prerequisite classes, entry exams, and a holistic view of their schedule and interests as outlined in each of the department’s AP philosophy and the course selection guide.

Typically, successful AP students are:

• task oriented;

• proficient readers;

• able to prioritize their time and maintain an organizational system;

• willing to seek help from teachers and outside sources as soon as problems arise; and

• experiencing little to no difficulty meeting the requirements of regular level courses, typically earning grades of A or B

AP Exit Procedure:

Students may exit an AP course only between the 7th and 10th day of school. Students will receive a W on their transcripts. When a student drops an AP course, all grades earned in that course follow the student to the other course, including any of the summer required assignment grades which are due by the 5th day of school. Students will obtain the AP drop form from the guidance office and will acquire all necessary signatures and must hand it in between days 7 and 10 of school. No exceptions will be made to the exit procedure. Students will not be allowed to drop AP courses after the 10th day of school.