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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Wed Nov 21st, 2007 05:43 pm |
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The College Board now has an online database of their recent AP course audit results from across the country. You can use the database to see which courses the College Board consider to be AP-level at your high school:
https://apcourseaudit.epiconline.org/ledger/
More on the database and the purpose of the audit here:
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1564520.html
As this link has a limited lifespan, here is a "fair-use" excerpt:
Whether they are classes that aren't among the 37 approved AP courses or simply watered-down versions of legitimate AP courses, the College Board, the national body that sets standards for AP classes, wants to root them out.
AP botany, AP trigonometry and even AP military history may look great on a high school transcript. But they're not recognized by the College Board, which has launched an audit showing which courses pass muster.
A new online database showing the results of the audit lets Minnesota parents, students and college admissions counselors quickly check to see if a school's courses are authorized, but it also means extra paperwork for teachers and frustration when their courses are inexplicably rejected.
More than 60 percent of American high schools participate in the AP program, which sets guidelines for college-level courses in everything from calculus to music theory. Students take AP classes for high school credit and then, if they choose, sit for exams on which high marks can translate into college credit.
The audit requires every AP teacher to submit detailed course plans to the College Board; nearly 150,000 have been sent since January. On Nov. 1, the Board went live with the online, searchable registry of every approved AP class at high schools worldwide.
Last edited on Wed Nov 21st, 2007 05:44 pm by Descartes
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Lupine
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 04:11 am |
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Very interesting -- thanks for the links.
I noticed that for our high school, precisely 1 teacher is shown as having an AP audited course in each subject, though I know that in several cases there are multiple teachers who teach the course. Does that mean that students taking from the non-audited teacher won't show as AP courses on the transcript? If so, the database really ought to include the name of the teacher who has been audited.
(The other h.s. in town has 1, 2, or 3 teachers listed as audited for each course.)
I was rather shocked to see that there had apparently been a number of problems where teachers who teach as a team each individually submitted the course info only to have one approved and one rejected. That doesn't inspire great confidence in consistency. I guess the alternative explanation could be that it is like an idiot light in the car -- and perhaps teacher #1 was rated as just barely passing, and teacher #2 as just barely failing.
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leftcoast
Member
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 09:13 am |
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I found another reason that list might be useful. My daughter didn't take all that many AP courses in her high school -- but looking at the list for her school, she either took the AP course or took and passed the AP exam for 5 of the 7 authorized AP's at her school -- with the ones she "missed" being Studio Art & European History. (She actually did even better than that, taking "AP Russian" as well -- but we knew that the class was a piloting the developing AP Russian program, so there were no surprises there -- my d. took a faux AP exam, scored a 4, and I guess there are still some kinks to work out because as far as I know, AP Russian has yet to be officially approved by the College Board 2 years down the line).
This is already ancient history for me, but a check of the approved list might be useful knowledge for anyone facing the "most challenging curriculum" issue -- no need to waste time trying to schedule in courses that aren't approved.
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jocelynDAD
Member
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Posted: Thu Nov 22nd, 2007 03:36 pm |
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Our HS has 20 AP courses approved with 30 teachers qualified, that numbers of courses is amazing to me.
It could be that because we are the next door neighbors to Princeton and many COllege Board employees live in our town but it is still an amazing large number of courses. 
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Wstrdg
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Posted: Fri Nov 23rd, 2007 04:56 am |
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Our school offers AP Chemistry, with at least 2 teachers. But chem is not on the College Board list. Could it be that the school is appealing the audit ??
Should I ask? My D may take this next year . . .
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Wstrdg
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Posted: Fri Nov 23rd, 2007 08:27 pm |
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Our high school is still listing AP Chem, altho it's not on the approved CB list.
I couldn't find any details about how long the audit appeal process might take, although I understand that this was supposed to be completed before the fall semester. I did find this, which troubles me:
If the College Board determines that your school is applying the "AP" designation to any courses or sections of courses taught at your school, which were not authorized for the appropriate academic year through the AP Course Audit process, your school's name may not be included in future versions of the ledger, regardless of whether other courses at your school have been authorized.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51272.html
It seems that the school's entire AP curriculum could be jeopardized. I know that current students enrolled in AP Chem have not been advised that the course is not officially "AP." And they've lost one teacher permanently (due to illness), and are using substitutes, which is not endorsed by the CB.
This will affect my kids in future years, altho I do have one taking an AP history course presently. Boat-rocking is not appreciated. Carolyn, is it possible that appeals could still be pending? These kids have already taken Honors Chem, and gotten the 5 GPA pts that the UC allows for that. How will the school re-designate the course to give 5 pts, if it's not "AP?" Looks like it's too late for any changes to the a-g Calif syllabus for the current year, too.
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leftcoast
Member
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Posted: Fri Nov 23rd, 2007 11:21 pm |
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I think that you should definitely ask, because I would assume that college ad coms may be looking at this list as well. It seems to me that if they get an application from a kid with an unusually high number of AP's coming from a school they are unfamiliar with, then it would make sense to check the audit list. I doubt that a college would penalize a student, but it may play into the way that colleges recaculate GPA's for their own internal purposes.
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Lupine
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Posted: Sat Nov 24th, 2007 03:23 pm |
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Wstrdg wrote: Our high school is still listing AP Chem, altho it's not on the approved CB list.
I couldn't find any details about how long the audit appeal process might take, although I understand that this was supposed to be completed before the fall semester. I did find this, which troubles me:
If the College Board determines that your school is applying the "AP" designation to any courses or sections of courses taught at your school, which were not authorized for the appropriate academic year through the AP Course Audit process, your school's name may not be included in future versions of the ledger, regardless of whether other courses at your school have been authorized.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51272.html
It seems that the school's entire AP curriculum could be jeopardized. I know that current students enrolled in AP Chem have not been advised that the course is not officially "AP." And they've lost one teacher permanently (due to illness), and are using substitutes, which is not endorsed by the CB.
This will affect my kids in future years, altho I do have one taking an AP history course presently. Boat-rocking is not appreciated. Carolyn, is it possible that appeals could still be pending? These kids have already taken Honors Chem, and gotten the 5 GPA pts that the UC allows for that. How will the school re-designate the course to give 5 pts, if it's not "AP?" Looks like it's too late for any changes to the a-g Calif syllabus for the current year, too.
I've re-read the linked page several times and I can't find the paragraph quoted. Could anyone give me more specifics on where it is located? (halfway down the page, or under some section,...)
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Wstrdg
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Posted: Sat Nov 24th, 2007 04:22 pm |
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Lupine, look under the FAQ "Policies and Procedures"
What if my AP teacher leaves the school after the AP Course Audit has been completed?
The replacement teacher must submit the AP Course Audit form and syllabus for review. If a previously approved syllabus will be used in the course, the teacher will need to submit that syllabus for verification purposes. If the teacher is replaced after June 1, 2007, it is incumbent upon the replacement teacher to submit materials for review in order for your school's entry in the 2007-08 ledger to accurately represent the AP program at your school.
If the College Board determines that your school is applying the "AP" designation to any courses or sections of courses taught at your school, which were not authorized for the appropriate academic year through the AP Course Audit process, your school's name may not be included in future versions of the ledger, regardless of whether other courses at your school have been authorized.
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Lupine
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Posted: Sat Nov 24th, 2007 05:36 pm |
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Thank you! This seems important enough that you'd think that the College Board wouldn't bury it in the answer to a somewhat different question.
leftcoast wrote: I think that you should definitely ask, because I would assume that college ad coms may be looking at this list as well. It seems to me that if they get an application from a kid with an unusually high number of AP's coming from a school they are unfamiliar with, then it would make sense to check the audit list. I doubt that a college would penalize a student, but it may play into the way that colleges recaculate GPA's for their own internal purposes.
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Lderochi
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Posted: Sat Nov 24th, 2007 06:08 pm |
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Interesting, but not surprising that my S' old HS did not get an AP designation for Chemistry. The "AP" chem teacher is a disaster, and it is very disappointing that the administration placed a completely unqualified teacher into that position -- she had never taught chemistry before, let alone at the AP level. It was unfair to the students (none of whom have achieved over a "2" on the test over 3 years) and it was unfair to the teacher. I hope this opens their eyes.
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Wstrdg
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Posted: Wed Nov 28th, 2007 07:24 pm |
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well, I finally got a call back from the AP Coordinator at our high school
she's back from months of maternity leave, and not totally up to speed, but she's aware that their AP Chem did not pass the CB audit. she thinks they're planning to re-name it, and she said she thinks it will be "honors" (which gets 5 GPA pts for the UC and CSU applications). however, the school already offers "honors chem," for 5 C grade points, so will students have 2 years of the same course on their transcripts?
She wasn't aware of the language on the CB site that says unauthorized use of the AP brand-name can jeopardize a school's entire AP program, but she said that re-naming the course should take care of it.
there are no plans to expand the AP program. but the school did add four or five new "science lite" and vocational-type courses, such as pre-EMT and drafting. that's the way the $$ are allocated . . .
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Consolation
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Posted: Thu Nov 29th, 2007 02:59 pm |
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I'm wondering about whether our school could get in trouble because of my son's independent study of AP French Lit! I think it's on his transcript--it's supposed to be. They certainly haven't submitted it to the CB.
One of the courses that has passed the audit is notoriously bad, and few students achieve good AP results unless they are willing to do significant self-study. (Or so I've been told.)
Last edited on Thu Nov 29th, 2007 03:03 pm by Consolation
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Wstrdg
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Posted: Thu Nov 29th, 2007 05:52 pm |
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At the bottom of this page there is a section of FAQ's labeled "alternate providers."
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51272.html
It doesn't cover independent study, but it does address homeschools and online providers, as well as IB courses, and all of these must pass the CB audit for AP.
Consolation, I'm guessing that independent study, with no instructor, would not qualify for the AP label. Your son could certainly take the AP exam, however, and a nice score on that would substantiate his work.
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Consolation
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Posted: Thu Nov 29th, 2007 06:20 pm |
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He actually does have instructor--two in fact--but the rest does apply.
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