Honors/AP NightHonors/AP Night John Marshall High John Marshall High

SchoolSchool

May 7, 2015May 7, 2015

Denise CobbDenise Cobb

Gifted Services SpecialistGifted Services Specialist

Math TeacherMath Teacher

decobb@rochester.k12.mn.us

(507)328-5278(507)328-5278

Meeting PurposeMeeting Purpose

To distinguish between To distinguish between honors option, honors, AP, honors option, honors, AP, CIS, and PSEO classesCIS, and PSEO classes

To explain the benefits of To explain the benefits of taking these coursestaking these courses

To clarify the expectations To clarify the expectations of students taking these of students taking these coursescourses

Gifted Services PhilosophyGifted Services Philosophy Schools need to offer Schools need to offer

opportunities which opportunities which challenge all studentschallenge all students

All students should be All students should be encouraged to take the encouraged to take the most rigorous courses they most rigorous courses they are capable of takingare capable of taking

Honors ClassesHonors Classes

Honors OptionHonors Option

HonorsHonors

College in the Schools College in the Schools (CIS)*(CIS)*

Advanced Placement(AP)Advanced Placement(AP)

Post-secondary Enrollment Post-secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO)*Option (PSEO)*

*Not all classes are honors*Not all classes are honors

Honors Option ClassesHonors Option Classes

Offered in areas where no Offered in areas where no honors equivalent is availablehonors equivalent is available

Student completes a contract Student completes a contract which states that he or she which states that he or she agrees to complete different agrees to complete different and more challenging and more challenging coursework than other coursework than other studentsstudents

Examples include speech, Examples include speech, reading, and health careersreading, and health careers

Honors ClassesHonors Classes Open to all students meeting Open to all students meeting

prerequisitesprerequisites More in-depth and challenging More in-depth and challenging

course workcourse work All students earning an A or a All students earning an A or a

B in the class earn honors B in the class earn honors creditcredit

Examples include honors Examples include honors biology, honors geometry, and biology, honors geometry, and honors Englishhonors English

College in the Schools College in the Schools (CIS)(CIS) Also called “concurrent Also called “concurrent

enrollment”enrollment” Students may earn both high Students may earn both high

school and college creditschool and college credit Courses are taught by high Courses are taught by high

school teachers at the high school teachers at the high school (a college professor school (a college professor serves as an advisor)serves as an advisor)

CIS (continued)CIS (continued)

There is no cost to the There is no cost to the studentstudent

Credit is awarded on overall Credit is awarded on overall academic performance in the academic performance in the class, not a single testclass, not a single test

Acceptance and transfer of Acceptance and transfer of credits varies by collegecredits varies by college

Be sure to ask admissions Be sure to ask admissions about their policyabout their policy

CIS (continued)CIS (continued)

Examples at John Marshall this Examples at John Marshall this year include:year include:Reading and Writing Critically*Reading and Writing Critically*Latin IVLatin IVFundamentals of Public Fundamentals of Public Speaking*Speaking*Multivariable calculusMultivariable calculus

*Not considered honors*Not considered honors

CIS (continued)CIS (continued)

This program is currently This program is currently undergoing changes due to undergoing changes due to circumstances beyond our circumstances beyond our control. We hope to be able to control. We hope to be able to offer a greater variety of CIS offer a greater variety of CIS classes soon.classes soon.

Advanced Placement (AP) Advanced Placement (AP) ClassesClasses Honors classes typically taken by Honors classes typically taken by

juniors and seniors (and juniors and seniors (and sophomores in American Studies)sophomores in American Studies)

Teachers generally have special Teachers generally have special trainingtraining

Follow national curricular guidelinesFollow national curricular guidelines Students may take a test which Students may take a test which

could earn them college creditcould earn them college credit Examples include statistics, Examples include statistics,

economics, American History, and economics, American History, and literatureliterature

AP (continued)AP (continued)

Courses are taught by high Courses are taught by high school teachers at the high school teachers at the high schoolschool

There is no cost to take the There is no cost to take the classclass

There is a fee to take the There is a fee to take the examexam

College credit is almost always College credit is almost always awarded to students who do awarded to students who do sufficiently well on the examsufficiently well on the exam

AP American History AP American History (American Studies)(American Studies)

Unique because it is offered at the Unique because it is offered at the sophomore levelsophomore level

SubstantialSubstantial jump in workload, jump in workload, critical reading and writing, and critical reading and writing, and expectations from 9expectations from 9thth grade grade

MinimumMinimum of 7 hours of homework of 7 hours of homework per week just for history portion of per week just for history portion of the classthe class

Extremely rigorous and demanding Extremely rigorous and demanding class for some sophomores class for some sophomores

Why take an AP class?Why take an AP class?

Challenge yourselfChallenge yourself

Colleges look for rigor in a Colleges look for rigor in a student’s high school student’s high school courseworkcoursework

AP is nationally recognizedAP is nationally recognized

You may earn scholarshipsYou may earn scholarships

Why take the AP exam?Why take the AP exam?

Challenge yourselfChallenge yourself See how much you have See how much you have

learned compared to other learned compared to other students nationwidestudents nationwide

The test is a learning The test is a learning experience in itselfexperience in itself

You may earn college creditYou may earn college credit You may earn scholarshipsYou may earn scholarships

How are tests scored?How are tests scored? Tests are scored on a scale from Tests are scored on a scale from

1-5, with 5 being the best.1-5, with 5 being the best. 3 is generally considered a 3 is generally considered a

passing scorepassing score Many colleges accept 3’s, most Many colleges accept 3’s, most

accept 4’s, a few only accept 5’saccept 4’s, a few only accept 5’s Some grant credit, some Some grant credit, some

advanced standingadvanced standing Some grant more credit for Some grant more credit for

higher scoreshigher scores

How will I do in successive How will I do in successive courses in college?courses in college? Students who score 4’s and 5’s Students who score 4’s and 5’s

are generally VERY successful in are generally VERY successful in subsequent classes.subsequent classes.

Even students who score 3’s Even students who score 3’s generally outperform students generally outperform students who took the corresponding who took the corresponding class in college and have a class in college and have a grade point average of 3.0+ in grade point average of 3.0+ in those classes.those classes.

How many tests should I How many tests should I take?take? I generally suggest that students take I generally suggest that students take

tests for all of the AP courses they enroll tests for all of the AP courses they enroll in.in.

College credit is expensive, and the small College credit is expensive, and the small cost of a test is worth the potential cost of a test is worth the potential reward of college credit.reward of college credit.

But… more so than SAT/ACT tests, these But… more so than SAT/ACT tests, these tests are worth studying for! tests are worth studying for! Unfortunately, you must take them all Unfortunately, you must take them all during a 2 week period in May. So if you during a 2 week period in May. So if you are signed up for a large number of AP are signed up for a large number of AP courses, this might be a consideration.courses, this might be a consideration.

Will I graduate from Will I graduate from college early?college early? You might. At least you will be You might. At least you will be

more likely to graduate on time more likely to graduate on time than students without any AP than students without any AP credits.credits.

It is more likely, however, that you It is more likely, however, that you will simply have more flexibility to will simply have more flexibility to double major, study abroad, do an double major, study abroad, do an internship, or take additional internship, or take additional classes that interest you!classes that interest you!

Will my grades suffer?Will my grades suffer?

AP classes AP classes areare college level college level classes. They will have a classes. They will have a corresponding workload and rigor. corresponding workload and rigor. The teachers will address this in The teachers will address this in the panel discussion.the panel discussion.

Your grades could be lower than Your grades could be lower than they would have been otherwise…they would have been otherwise…

but you will also be better but you will also be better prepared!prepared!

PSEOPSEO

Post-Secondary Enrollment Post-Secondary Enrollment OptionOption

Open to juniors and seniors Open to juniors and seniors with qualifying gradeswith qualifying gradesThey may take classes They may take classes atat a a Minnesota college (full-time or Minnesota college (full-time or part-time)part-time)There is no cost to the studentThere is no cost to the studentNormal transfer policies applyNormal transfer policies apply

PSEO (cont)PSEO (cont)

Students may miss out on Students may miss out on aspects of high school lifeaspects of high school life

Success requires maturitySuccess requires maturity It takes careful planning to It takes careful planning to

successfully meet all high successfully meet all high school creditsschool credits

It may be difficult to earn an It may be difficult to earn an honors diploma if that is honors diploma if that is important to the studentimportant to the student

GPA / Weighted GradingGPA / Weighted Grading Honors classes are more Honors classes are more

challenging and they are challenging and they are more work!more work!

We recognize this in our We recognize this in our weighted grading system.weighted grading system.

A’s, B’s, and C’s earned in A’s, B’s, and C’s earned in honors classes raise a honors classes raise a student’s weighted GPA. Only student’s weighted GPA. Only A’s and B’s count toward an A’s and B’s count toward an honors diploma.honors diploma.

Earning an Honors Earning an Honors DiplomaDiploma A student must earn A’s or A student must earn A’s or

B’s in 24 one semester B’s in 24 one semester honors classes.honors classes.

This is the equivalent of 12 This is the equivalent of 12 credits. (24 are required to credits. (24 are required to graduate.)graduate.)

A student would need to A student would need to average about 3 honors average about 3 honors classes each semester.classes each semester.

Getting into CollegeGetting into College

Colleges look at more than just Colleges look at more than just grades.grades.

They look for rigorous They look for rigorous coursework.coursework.

They look for students who are They look for students who are growing and improving growing and improving academically.academically.

They look for students who are They look for students who are active in their school and the active in their school and the community.community.

Questions? Ask our panel:Questions? Ask our panel:

Heather Lyke - EnglishHeather Lyke - English

Valerie Wassmer – social Valerie Wassmer – social studiesstudies

Theresa Felmlee - scienceTheresa Felmlee - science

Linda McGouirk – world Linda McGouirk – world languageslanguages

Nora Rogers - EnglishNora Rogers - English