<p>as the title said…
Is there anywhere I can find the “official definition”?</p>
<p>In what sense? Like when filling out the Common App or what? At our HS, many APs were considered electives – Art History, World History, Psychology. Even core courses if the required classes were met. In other words, if you need four maths to graduate, the Alg I and II, Geometry and Pre-Cal would be required, but AP Stats would be an elective.</p>
<p>The official definition is probably whatever your school decrees. But I don’t see why an AP course couldn’t count at an elective. What would be the reason for excluding AP classes specifically–they’re too hard? I think the real meaning of “elective” is that it’s the student’s choice and unless the area is specified (eg. must be art) then I would think any course outside the list of specific courses they must take should qualify. </p>
<p>great. thanks. that’s what I thought. Anything the student picks.
My school thought it differently</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don’t make the rules, your school does. But I would suggest if the counselor seems to be making up rules that aren’t written somewhere in the graduation requirements and can’t give a reasonable explanation for this, that you meet with the principal for clarification. I know there have been situations in our school where some students were allowed to do things that other counselors would not allow other similar students to do. Some counselors are just more helpful or supportive of students who choose non-traditional paths.</p>
<p>If you aren’t required to take a course, doesn’t that make it an elective???</p>
<p>Go to the source … Your HS counselor, not ours.</p>
<p>It depends on your school’s classifications. In my D’s school, if it is not a core subject, it is an elective. For example, AP music theory would be an elective. AP statistic is a Math class though.</p>
<p>If the intent of the school was that you take an arts elective obviously AP Comp Sci isn’t going to cut it. But you’ll need to find out if the school has an official definition of elective or rules about when you take what kind of electives. My son took AP Comp Sci as an elective freshman year, but he also had to take his arts elective in addition to that.</p>
<p>I just checked my D’s high school curriculum, AP Stat can be considered either a Math core or elective. AP Comp Sci is a Math elective (i.e. not counted towards graduation core requirement).</p>