The Advanced Placement Program (AP) is a series of thirty-five courses and exams in nineteen different subject areas
administered by The College Board for students willing and able to apply themselves to a college level course while still in high school, thus serving as an "academic bridge" that helps smooth the transition from secondary school to college. Nearly 14,000 secondary schools offered AP courses and 845,000 students took 1.4 million AP exams. Nationally, the average number of courses offered by a high school AP program is six. In other words, Rocky Mountain High School offers a challenging and rigorous curriculum - one that competes and succeeds.

The AP Program develops course descriptions, curricular outlines, teaching guides and examinations; provides teacher training and support programs; grades AP Examinations in these subject areas; and reports AP Examination results to the students, the colleges which the student selects, and high schools. A student earns high school credit for taking the AP course and can earn college credit for exam scores of 3, 4, and 5. A student can take the AP course without taking the AP exam or take the AP exam without taking the AP course.

"All students benefit when AP permeates the system, as teachers in earlier grades start to prepare students for the challenge of AP."

-- AP Yearbook

RATIONALE

Academic Challenge

• AP Provides "schools a means of measuring and improving the quality of the education they provide, challenging their
  academically able students. . . ."
• Is not a preset curriculum. Students have the opportunity to excel in several subjects or subjects of individual interest
• Teaches students to think and to question in complex and abstract ways
• Enthusiastic teachers and classmates
  

College Environment

• AP is a valid predictor of college-level achievement.
• AP students who take advanced courses in their first year of college do as well or better than upper division students.
• AP students are twice as likely to graduate with honors from college as non-AP students.
  

Financial

Advanced Placement credit allows a student to finish college early saving $33,000 per year in a private school and $13,000 per year at CU or CSU.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES

• Science and Mathematics
  
  Computer Science AB
  Computer Science A
  *Calculus AB
  *Calculus BC
  *Statistics
  *Chemistry
  *Physics B
  Physics C - Mechanics
  Physics C - Electricity and Magnetism
  *Biology
  Environmental Science

• Art and Music
  *Music Theory
  Art History
  *Studio Art: Drawing, 2-D, 3-D

• History and Social Studies
  Government & Politics: Comparative
  *Government & Politics: United States
  History (*European, *United States, World)
  *Human Geography
  Economics: Macro
  Economics: Micro
  *Psychology

• World Languages
  Spanish (*Language, Literature)
  French (*Language, Literature)
  Latin: Vergil
  Latin: Literature
  *German Language

• English
  *Literature & Composition
  Language & Composition
  International English Language

*denotes AP course offerings at Rocky Mountain High School

Adjusted Bonus Points System - Adjusted GPA

The adjusted GPA system is a variation on a weighted grading system. It will enable students to earn bonus points of .002 for each credit earned in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in which students receive a grade of A, B, or C. The bonus point factor of .002 is multiplied by the total number of AP or IB credits earned by students and added to the existing GPA. This means student graduating in 2005 and beyond can earn GPAs higher than 4.0.

GPA Bonus Point System Calculation Example

2005 RMHS AP EXAM STATISTICS

Eighty percent of RMHS students took AP exams and received grades of 3, 4, or 5 qualifying them for credit at over 3000 colleges and universities worldwide:

• Number of Students taking AP Exams: 289
• Number of AP Exams taken: 430
• Students Scoring 5: 15%
• Students Scoring 4: 34%
• Students Scoring 3: 36%
• Students Scoring 2: 12%
• Students Scoring 1: 3%
  

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL AP PROGRAM

• Calculus - Mr. Mark Brook, Mr. Todd Pfeifer
• Statistics - Mr. Derek Widmier
• Chemistry - Mr. Glenn Gainley
• Physics - Mr. Jeff Bibbey
• Biology - Ms. Carol Seemueller
• Environmental Science - Mr. David Swartz
• Music Theory - Ms. Lorna McBride
• Studio Art - Mr. Jay Dukart
• Economics - Ms. Lynne Lyell
• Human Geography - Mr. Robert Parry
• European History - Mr. Charlie Ross
• U.S. History - Mr. Kurt Knierim, Mr. John Robinson
• Government and Politics - Mr. Thomas List
• French - Ms. Kari Bridenbaugh
• German - Ms. Jennifer Roper
• Spanish - Ms. Stephanie Silveira
• English - Mr. Paul DeMaret, Mr. Tom Smailes
• AP Coordinator: Ms. Marian Kolstoe
  

"When a student is challenged, as in an AP course, it makes sense that that student is better prepared for the academic rigors of college and deserves close consideration as a candidate."
§ - John Bunnell-Associate, Dean/Director of Freshman Admission, Stanford University

For more information about the AP program visit the College Board web site at www.apcentral.collegeboard.com

Update February 2005