Brookwood High School - Academics

January 19, 2013
Dear Parent/Guardian of AP Student,

Registration for AP testing is open now until March 8th. This letter will hopefully answer many of your questions about AP testing but you can call 678-344-3742 (Curriculum Office) if we can be of any help to you or your student. Additionally, the 2012-2013 Bulletin for AP Students and Parents was distributed earlier this month to all AP students. The Bulletin contains information about AP Scholar Awards, policies and procedures, and what to bring and what not to bring to the exam room.

Please see page two of this letter for fee information. We’ve included a fee schedule for your convenience. As always, ALL students must pay a $10 registration fee, even those students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch services.

GCPS has partnered with MyPaymentsPlus for online registration/payment for AP testing. If you currently have a MealpayPlus account (for school lunches, last year’s AP exams, etc.), simply go to your student account, and register for the exams your student wishes to take. All AP registrations are found under the heading category. If you are new to MyPaymentsPlus, it is very easy to create an account. The website is user friendly and easy to manipulate. Go to:

https://www06.MyPaymentsPlus.com

MyPaymentsPlus accepts credit cards, debit cards, and e-checks. It is a highly secure site. This year, like last, paying for exams with cash is not an option. In order to guarantee exam registration, students must use MyPaymentsPlus.

Students will be taking AP exams May 6^th – May 17^th. Please see your student’s AP Bulletin or visit the College Board website for specific test dates.

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html

Malinda Martin: Assistant Principal

2013 AP TESTING FEES

Exam fee for 2012 is $89.00 per exam
Every student must pay the $10 registration fee.
Every student receives one free exam if they are enrolled in the class (paid for by GCPS).
Any test ordered but not taken will cost the student an additional $13.
Any student who wants to take an exam for a course they are not enrolled in must pay $89.

Free/Reduced students must pay the $10 registration fee but the state pays for their first exam and GCPS pays for all additional exams. This applies only to exams for which the student is enrolled in the course.

LATE TESTING

Any student doing late testing for the following reasons must pay an additional $40 per exam:

1. Academic contest or event

2. Athletic contest or event

3. Conflict with non-AP and non-IB exam

4. Family commitment

5. Ordering error

6. Other school event

Students do NOT incur an additional exam fee for the following late testing circumstances:

1. Conflict with an IB exam

2. Conflict with state or nationally mandated test—(ie, EOCT’s, GHSGT, etc)

3. Disabilities accommodation issue

4. Emergency serious injury, illness, or family tragedy

5. Language lab scheduling conflict

6. Religious holiday/observance

7. Three or more AP exams on the same date

8. Two AP exams on the same date AND time

AP Exam Registration Fee Schedule

1 Test = $10

2 Tests = $99

3 Tests = $188

4 Tests = $277

5 Tests = $366

6 Tests = $455

7 Tests = $544

8 Tests = $633

Frequently Asked Questions

1.   What is an AP^® Course?
An AP Course is an Advanced Placement^® course certified by The College Board as a college-level class taught in high school. Students can earn college credit as well as high school credit for these courses if their scores on the national AP Examinations are high enough to satisfy university requirements.

2.   How much college credit can students earn?
Students can earn as much as two semesters college credit for each subject. Contact a specific university for information on the amount of credit granted in different subject areas.

3.   Are AP Classes hard?
AP classes are challenging but not impossible. The College Board requires that all AP teachers receive extensive training and that AP classes use college-level textbooks in order to maintain the level of rigor necessary to pass the national AP Exams.

4.   How many Brookwood students pass the national AP Examinations?
While the number varies from year to year, Brookwood students pass exams in every subject area at well above the national rate.

5. What are grades like in an AP Classes?
The Gwinnett County Board of Education established a 10 point bonus to be added to students’ final grades in all AP classes as an incentive for students to take more challenging classes. A grade of 89, for example, becomes 99 on the student’s report card. A grade of 95 becomes 105.

6. Do I have to be an A student to be successful in AP classes?
While A students often have time management and study skills that help them to be successful, any highly motivated student who has taken necessary prerequisite classes can be successful. Students who score above the national SAT average score tend to be more successful in AP courses than students with scores below the national SAT average.

7. Do AP courses have a lot of homework?
AP courses do have homework, like all classes, but AP classes do need more preparation. Students who have a job and work more than 20 hours a week or who spend more than three hours a day with extracurricular activities will probably have some time management problems.

8. How many AP courses do students take per year?
While some exceptionally well-organized and highly motivated students can manage five AP courses per year, most students find 3 classes per year more comfortable.

9. Do AP courses matter to colleges?
Rigor of schedule is now very important to the college admissions process. In order to be competitive with students from across the nation who have transcripts showing many AP courses, students should take as many AP classes as they can. Colleges report that AP courses on a transcript show that the student has initiative, motivation, and time management skills

10. How do AP Courses help a student receive the Hope Grant?
Receiving a Hope Grant requires a 3.0 GPA. Hope re-calculates GPA by counting only core subjects and converting GPA to a 4.0 scale. An 88, for example, converts to a 3.0. Although Hope presently removes any bonus points given by school systems, it adds back an extra .5 for each AP grade. An 88 in an AP class converts to a 3.5. Research shows that students with AP experience have a higher incidence of maintaining a 3.0 or better in college. Research also shows that students with AP experience more often complete college than students who do not.

AP Scores Online

AP Scholar Awards

Brookwood had 361 students who earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams in Spring 2009.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program (AP) provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on AP Exams.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams.

At Brookwood, 30 students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 5 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.

The AP Scholar with Distinction Award is earned by scoring an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. Brookwood had 142 Scholars with Distinction.

The AP Scholar with Honor Award is earned by scoring an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Brookwood had 64 Scholars with Honor.

Students qualify for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. Brookwood had 125 AP Scholars.

We’re very proud or our students and faculty in our AP program.

BROOKWOOD A.P. SCHOLAR RECOGNITION

Since its opening, Brookwood High School has honored academic achievement and has encouraged its students to challenge themselves with rigorous course selection. Continuing in this tradition, the Brookwood A.P. Scholar Recognition is designed to pay tribute to students who have utilized the Advanced Placement course offerings to better prepare themselves for the college classroom. A.P. Scholars will have the opportunity to purchase a medallion to be worn with the graduation gown. The medallion will be embossed with the Brookwood crest and will hang from a maroon and gold ribbon. Students will also receive a special diploma seal and will have their names permanently displayed on a plaque to be displayed on the Brookwood Academic Wall of Fame.

The criteria for being named an A.P. Scholar is to be “on track” to receive four units in Advanced Placement courses by the end of the senior year with a “B” average or better in those courses by the end of the first semester of the senior year. Students who will qualify for this honor will be notified by letter in March. The recipients will be recognized at a pizza party on April 14 and will receive their purchased medallions at that time.

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