There are many differences between AP and college prep U.S. History. The most significant difference is the fact that one is preparing students for college level history and the other is college level history. The AP course is designed to prepare students for a very, very difficult exam in May. This three- hour exam contains a section of 55 stimulus based multiple choice questions that are comprehensive for the entire school year. Four short answer questions covering content from 1491-present also test students knowledge and application of skills. In addition, students must write two essays in a ninety minute period. One of the essays is based on a packet of primary sources. The topic of this Document Based Question (DBQ), as well as the long essay question, which is not known until the test begins. To give some sense of how difficult the test is, it might be instructive to look at some statistics.
In 2005, over 279,000 students took the national exam in APUS history. 50.4% passed with a score of three or better on a five point scale. In 2006, over 300,000 students took the exam and 53% passed. With the redesign in 2015, students took the exam with 50.3% passing. The national average fluctuates between 48-55%. Over the last nine years Chaparral students have averaged a pass rate of 73%. This pass rate includes the fact that the number of students taking the test has grown from 36 students in 1999 to 107 in 2005.
The difficulty level of the national exam has a direct impact on the exams given in APUSH. The classroom exams are keyed to the difficulty level of the national exam. To pass the national exam a student may get a three out of five with a multiple choice score of 56% or 57%. A student that gets 66% or 67% of the multiple choice questions correct would have a good chance of passing with a score of four on a five point scale. A five out of five could be earned with a multiple choice score of 80%. These numbers mean that what determines a “good” score or a “bad” score on a multiple choice test is very different than in a regular class. It is not reasonable to assess the test performance of a student in APUSH with the standards of a college prep class. The APUSH exams are far more difficult then any exam in a college prep class.
To adjust for the difficulty level of the AP courses, grades are weighted. A weighted grade means that a “C” is factored as a “B” on the progress report. A grade of “B” is factored as an “A” and a grade of “A” goes beyond the four point scale and can result in a GPA of more then a 4.0. A grade of “F” remains an “F”. The purpose of the weighted grade is not to inflate GPAs. The purpose of the weighted grade is to counter the significant difficulty level of the course. The most common grade in APUSH is a “B” with a significant number of students earning a “C”. The percentage of students earning an “A” in the class tends to be less than ten percent.
The rewards of an AP class are substantial. Students will learn much more history than in a college prep class. There will be a much bigger emphasis on critical thinking. The organizational and study skills developed while taking AP courses will be of immeasurable value in college. The peer culture in AP courses tends to be much more academic in its focus than in college prep courses. While the rewards are many, the price is a much more challenging curriculum and work load. Finally, a change in perception of success is necessary when students take AP courses. AP students should not be held to the perceptions of success that apply to the college prep courses.
Q: What does Advanced Placement (AP) mean?
A: Advanced Placement courses are designed by the College Board (the SAT people) to challenge students in high school by offering them courses that will help to prepare them for the rigorous challenges of college. They are designed to be on par in difficulty with a freshman level college course.
Q: What are the benefits to taking an AP Course?
A: There are many benefits to taking AP courses in high school. The three most obvious are:
-- 1) To be better prepared for college level expectations and work => studies have shown that students who take AP courses are much better prepared to adjust to college level work
-- 2) To better gain admission to the college of your choice => admissions counselors like to see that students have challenged themselves with rigorous courses in high school
-- 3) To earn college credit in high school => AP courses offer an exam at the end of the course that if passed with an appropriate score can earn you college credit at 1000’s of colleges
Q: Are AP courses more difficult than regular courses?
A: YES. They require more outside work, critical thinking & writing and are paced much quicker.
Q: Are AP courses at North Shore Senior High weighted?
A: Yes. Due to their challenging nature AP courses are weighted at a level of 1.15 => therefore if you earn an A in an AP course it will count as a 4.6 on your GPA instead of 4.0.