Advanced Placement Program East Lyme High School is proud to participate in the CollegeBoard’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program, a program that offers students the opportunity to complete college-level studies during high school. The primary goals of the AP program are to strengthen the secondary experience of students who are ready for college-level work and to provide administrative support for granting credit or placement to those students in their freshman year of college. East Lyme High School encourages students to challenge their expectations in all academic areas. Advanced Placement courses are a tangible way for students to meet their higher educational goals. Advanced Placement courses are student self-selected. While teachers will recommend students for these courses, the final decision remains with students and their parents provided the student has passed prerequisites for the course. A non- recommended course requires an override form. The CollegeBoard maintains that the full experience includes the AP exam in each course. To meet that standard, East Lyme High School will award AP credit only to students completing the course and the AP exam. The cost of the exam is the student’s responsibility. A contract outlining the AP policy and costs, signed by the student and parent, will be sent home prior to the start of the course. Students should expect summer readings prior to the start of an AP course. East Lyme High School believes that the level of commitment to AP demands a tremendous amount of work from students. In order to keep the best interests of the students’ paramount, it is the usual policy that students should not take more than three AP courses in one academic year, with a max of four AP courses. For more than four AP courses in one-year, principal permission is required. It should also be noted that the AP program benefits extend far beyond the direct outcomes of the primary goals. In giving students an opportunity to experience the academic rigors of college, AP inspires confidence, a sense of responsibility and self-reliance, and provides an academic bridge to ease the transition from secondary school to college. During the 2020-2021 school year, the following Advanced Placement courses were offered: Language & Composition
U.S. History
Psychology
Statistics
Literature & Composition
Environmental Science
Physics 1 & 2
Studio Art
French Language and Culture
Biology
Spanish Language and Culture
Calculus AB/BC
American Government
Music Theory
Chemistry
Students who drop an AP course will not be allowed to take the AP exam in that subject area. A revised copy of the grade 12 transcript and accompanying letter will be sent to their prospective colleges. Dropping the class after October 1 may result in a WF. Waiving the WF requires teacher and administrative approval; the schedule change form must be completed and signed.
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