"Advanced Placement? Prove it"

[asteriskea]

<p>The CB’s first massive AP Course Audit review process is starting to be felt by schools across the country. As of January 2007, the College Board has contracted with the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC), a not-for-profit organization based at the University of Oregon, to coordinate the nation-wide AP Course Audit submission and review process.</p>

<p><a href=“Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board”>Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board;

<p>

Ambitious students in North Jersey’s high schools have long flocked to Advanced Placement courses, but for the first time ever, their teachers have to prove their classes are as rigorous as the prestigious AP label promises.</p>

<p>The College Board launched the first massive AP audit after college and high school educators complained that too many schools slapped the AP label on courses that weren’t sophisticated enough to make the grade. Last week, teachers in North Jersey and nationwide began submitting evidence that their classes truly cover college-level material.</p>

<p>Officials at the College Board, which runs the AP program, said they have heard of bogus pretenders such as AP Band, AP Journalism and AP Oklahoma History…</p>

<p>Andrew Dunn, who teaches AP English at Northern Highlands Regional High School, says he met a North Dakota teacher who assigned George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” for an AP class. That book would be read in a regular 10th- to 12th-grade course at Northern Highlands. Dunn said the audit process will have value mainly if it persuades more colleges to give students college credit for work they’ve done in high school.</p>

<p>“We’ve been seeing over the last few years that some of our best students aren’t getting college credit after they do take the AP exams,” he said. “It’s some of the more elite institutions that aren’t granting the credit.”</p>

<p>Robert Goodman, who teaches AP physics at the Bergen County Technical High School at Teterboro, welcomed the audit, but thought it would be easier to require all students in AP classes to take AP exams. That would force teachers to cover the necessary material. “If you don’t take the exams but slap the label on transcripts who’s to say what’s in a course?” he noted. “I know specifically of cases where students taking courses called AP physics are studying things that have nothing to do with the AP curriculum.”</p>

<p>The College Board says 74 percent of students in AP courses take the final exams.</p>

<p>The outcome will be key to motivated students, who love to pepper their college applications with APs to show their academic zeal.

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<p><a href=“http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzA2ODU2NyZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTQ=[/url]”>http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzA2ODU2NyZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTQ=&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[APOL]

<p>IMO…the proof may be in the pudding…if the avg student earns a 4 or 5 on the exam, it would suggest the material is being covered…if the average student earns a 1 or 2 on the exam, a red flag may be warranted…</p>

[Ilovesoftball44]

<p>I am glad they are doing this, because I don’t think its fair for those to put it on their transcript that don’t take the test. My school does not offer a lot of APs but everyone is required to take the test and you have to be invited to take it. I second the above post as well. Yay for audits!!</p>

[19382]

<p>Why does it matter if you take a test or not? Deciding to take a 4 hour test determines whether or not you get credit for an entire year? Give me a break.</p>

[chronic]

<p>i actually approve of this</p>

<p>now AP can finally see how bad our school is - maybe that’s enough to convince our school that we need better teachers (oh wait nevermind…our teachers don’t even “teach” much less correct homework so i wouldn’t even consider them “teachers”)</p>

[christalena2]

<p>I think that this will be ok as long as some students are given some help for paying for the tests. I know a couple people at my school did not take a test or two out of eight or nine simply because the school did not offer any discount. </p>

<p>I didn’t take the US history exam because my teacher did not teach us anything! The other AP us history teacher, who i did not have, was so much better, and therefore people got higher scores from his class.</p>

[ponnan]

<p>Our school requires that if you sign up for the class, you must take the test.</p>

[brainless]

<p>you know the only reason i love this it’s evil but so the dumb kids who take it score 1 or 2’s and they make the curve for use much better and it doesnt hurt those kids because there not ap material (and they get ap label on there transcript because most colleges have valuntary score release so they dont have to release it) so here it is to an increase in the curve! booyeah!</p>

[LuckMC11]

<p>19382…well look at the SAT…4.5 hour test that decides whether u get into a college of ur choice…basically making up 3 yrs of ur high scchool career in a 4 hour test…sum1 give me a break…of that kit kat bar!!..lol</p>

<p>no but seriously</p>