Olympia High School Advanced Placement
2009-2010 UPDATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
Honors English 10 for 2009-2010 Sophomores. Due Apr. 3, 2009.
Summer Assignment for Honors English 10
Turn in your signed Honors English 10 Letter (above) and application to Mrs. Violette's mailbox by Apr. 3, 2009. Questions? Contact Mrs. Violette at sviolett@osd.wednet.edu. The summer assignment will be due the first day of school.
AP English Language (11th grade)
No application. Summer assignment required. Due the first day of school. The summer assignment will be handed out in sophomore English classes and at the Showcase. Questions? Email Mr. Snodgrass at tsnodgra@osd.wednet.edu.
AP English Literature (12th grade)
No application. Summer assignment required. Due the first day of school. The summer assignment will be available outside Room 110 in Hall 1. Check out summer reading books from Mrs. Madsen (also in Room 110). Questions? Email Mrs. Madsen at smadsen@osd.wednet.edu.
Honors Chemistry Application. Due Apr. 3, 2009.
Questions? Please email Mr. Beeson at wbeeson@osd.wednet.edu.
AP Chemistry Application. Due Apr. 3, 2009.
Please complete this application and turn it in to Mr. Beeson's mailbox in the main office by Friday, Apr. 3 2009 for priority consideration for this class. You must also sign the application showing your committment to the class. Questions? Please email Mr. Beeson at wbeeson@osd.wednet.edu.
Honors Physics Application. Deadline extended to Monday, Apr. 13, 2009 (day after break).
Turn in to Mr. Kagan's mailbox in the main office by Monday, Apr. 13. Questions? Email Mr. Kagan at ckagan@osd.wednet.edu.
Honors Biology: pick up an application from your Physical Science teacher.
Questions? Please email Mr. Beeson at wbeeson@osd.wednet.edu.
AP Biology Application. Due Apr. 3, 2009.
Please complete this application and turn it in to Ms. Smith's mailbox in the main office by Friday, Apr. 3 2009 for priority consideration for this class. There will NOT be summer reading for this class. Questions? Please email Ms. Smith at lcsmith@osd.wednet.edu.
AP Biology Teacher Recommendation Form
You will also need the above AP Bio Teacher Rec form as part of your AP Biology application.
AP Math Prerequisites: click here!
AP Statistics
Prerequisites: grade of "B" or higher in Algebra II. A grade of "B" or higher in Precalculus and/or Calculus may be substituted for this requirement if necessary (e.g., a student gets a "C" in Algebra II, but then goes on and gets a "B" in Precalc–this would be okay). No application required.
AP World History Contract for 2009-2010 Sophomores. Due Apr. 3, 2009.
This contract demonstrates your understanding and acceptance of the rigor and high expectations for this college-level class. This is in lieu of a formal application this year. You must sign and turn in this contract to Mrs. Soderberg's mailbox in the main office by Friday, Apr. 3, 2009 (before Spring Break) to reserve a space in this course.
AP World History Summer Assignment 2009-2010 Coming Soon! Part of the assignment will be to read Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.
Questions? Please email Mrs. Soderberg at ksoderberg@osd.wednet.edu.
AP US History for 2009-2010 Juniors. Due Apr. 3, 2009.
Be sure to print BOTH of the following documents:
AP US History Application (2 pages)
Turn in to Mr. Schaefer's mailbox by Apr. 3, 2009. Questions? Email Mr. Schaefer at mschaefer@osd.wednet.edu.
AP Macroeconomics Application for 2009-2010 Seniors. Due Apr. 3, 2009.
Turn in to Mr. LeTourneau's mailbox by Apr. 3, 2009 for priority consideration for this class. Questions? Email Mr. LeTourneau at bletourn@osd.wednet.edu.
AP Spanish
Grade of "C" or higher in Spanish 3 required. No application. Questions? Email Ms. Specht at nspecht@osd.wednet.edu.
Deadline will be Friday, Apr. 3rd 2009 for 09-10 classes.
LAST YEAR'S OLD 2008-2009 APPLICATION FORMS: TO BE REVISED
Honors/AP Teacher Recommendation Form
Advanced Placement Student and Parent Letter (Mandatory)
AP Overload Form (If Applying for MORE THAN 3 AP Classes)
Honors Biology: pick up an application from your Physical Science teacher
ADVANCED PLACEMENT
Benefits of Advanced Placement
The Advanced Placement
(AP) program offers students the opportunity to pursue college-level
studies while still in high school. It also gives them the
opportunity to show they have mastered the advanced material by taking
AP exams.
Benefits of AP
- AP curriculum allows faculty to teach college-level courses to capable, motivated students.
- Students successfully completing AP examinations offered by the College Board in May can qualify for college credit or become exempt from introductory college courses, permitting them to move more quickly into advanced classes.
- AP exams are graded on a 5-point scale (the highest is 5). Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award credit and/or placement for grades of 3 or higher.
- More than 1,400 institutions award a year of credit (sophomore standing) to students with a sufficient number of qualifying grades.
- The College Board offers 29 AP Examinations in 16 subject areas, each consisting of multiple-choice and free response (essay or problem-solving) questions.
- College admission personnel view AP experience as one indicator of future success at the college level. Taking an AP course offers an advantage to students wishing to attend a highly selective school.
Who can enroll in AP?
- Students who enroll in these advanced classes need to be prepared. One of the best ways to develop the skills to be successful would be to take honors classes during freshman and sophomore years.
- Participation and motivation are also important to AP success. Students’ academic records continue to be the best predictor of AP success, but the willingness to meet the daily demands of an AP class can result in success for students who are not among the best prepared.
- Students should be:
-
- Interested in ideas and relationshipso
- Willing to risk being wrong
- Willing to consider new perspectiveso
- Competent in individual research skillso
- Able to ask insightful questionso
- Able to organize materials and work under pressure to meet deadlines
- Able to make decisions for themselveso
- Able to work productively with their fellow students
Requirements
- AP courses make substantial demands on students. They are required to do considerable outside reading and other assignments and to demonstrate the analytical skills and writing abilities expected of first-year students in a strong college program.
- Homework in AP courses resembles the intellectual challenge and workload expected in college courses.
- Exams typically cost $83. Financial aid is available to students whose family income falls below that established by the government for some sort of assistance. A fee reduction waiver is also available. Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch typically pay only $5 per exam. A fee reduction form must be completed.
- Students enrolled in AP courses can and do have lives. The increased academic load must be considered in light of other important factors including social life, extracurricular activities, athletics, jobs, and outside responsibilities.
- Students must find balance. Time constraints and other responsibilities associated with AP can result in undue stress, emotional duress, poor grades, and feelings of failure and high frustration.
Other
- It is important to understand the expectations for students in these classes will be high. The demands of jobs, extracurricular activities, and other difficult classes need to be considered when enrolling and will not be accepted as excuses for incomplete or missing assignments. Daily attendance is essential for success because of the fast pace and amount of material covered each day. Daily homework assignments will require approximately an hour each night of reading and note taking. Students are expected to come to class having read the material assigned for that day.
- Students must keep in mind the selection process is competitive. Students will be evaluated on recommendations from teachers, grades from previous classes, responses to personal essays on applications, results of in-class writes (English only), and timeliness of application materials.
- Students enrolling in AP classes will be expected to take the AP exam in that area in May. Failure to take the AP exam will result in the course title on the grade report and on the transcript being changed from AP to Honors.
Advanced Placement (AP), a program developed by the College Board, enables high school students to study college-level material through enrollment in an AP course. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the subject by taking an AP exam in May. Based on these AP scores, colleges and universities may then grant credit, placement or both. Students can benefit from these courses by learning a subject in greater depth, developing skills critically important to successful study in college, and demonstrating their willingness to undertake a challenging course. Students interested in enrolling in AP classes will need to get an application packet from the class instructor. The Olympia Scholars Award is presented to graduating seniors who have taken a challenging course of study throughout high school and have demonstrated excellence in extra-curricular activities. For Olympia Scholar Award application requirements and forms, please go to: Olympia Scholar Program.
Advanced Placement Information from the College Board
AP and College Credit with CLEP