WHY SHOULD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES? By Dawn Bartz

Introduction Dawn Bartz has served as the Small Learning

Communities Project Manager and Global Studies Theme Coach for the Danbury Public Schools. In these roles, she trains teachers and creates curriculum to engage students in Project-Based Learning at the middle school level. This Exploration curriculum engages students in interdisciplinary instruction and learning and improving research, writing, reading and presentation skills are central to this effort. The Danbury Public Schools has 11,000 students and three middle schools. Under the Global Studies theme, students focus on international issues including conflicts, human rights, and social movements, among other areas.

Advanced Placement Classes A dedicated member of her Pleasantville, New York,

community, Dawn Bartz provides pro bono tutoring to local students who need assistance with their high school Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Dawn Bartz was a long-time teacher of Social Studies and English and served as a Reader for the College Board AP Government and Politics national exams.

In addition to studying for the SAT and engaging in a variety of extracurricular activities, high school students can prepare for college by taking AP courses. Administered by the College Board, the AP program can help students earn credit for introduction-level college courses or place students into advanced college classes, potentially potentially saving tuition dollars.

Conclusion AP courses are rigorous and may make high school

students more competition in the college application process. Passing an AP exam (with a 3,4, or 5) may result in college credit and also a higher GPA at high schools that use a weighted grading system. For example, earning a "B" in AP English, may place your score in a weighting system showinga 3.3 instead of a 3.0 on your official transcript. Moreover, college admissions officers typically focus on GPA and course difficulty when considering applications. Taking AP classes and having them listed on high school transcripts will demonstrate that students have tank a more rigorous high school program and may result in additional scholarship opportunities.