www.ucps.k12.nc.us
UCPS PROGRAM OF STUDIES 2012 - 2013
Incoming freshman will be required to meet both state and local requirements. Academic Difficulty of Courses Courses are taught at different levels of academic difficulty. Recommendations are made by subject area teachers for students prior to registration. A waiver form is available for students who wish to enroll in a higher level course than recommended; please consider carefully the use of academic difficulty waivers. Level 2:
Basic Level - Curriculum follows a modified Common Core/Essential Standards.
Level 3: College Prep - Course content, pace, and academic rigor follow the Common Core/Essential Standards Course of Study guidelines with content enrichment where appropriate. Level 4: Honors - Course content, pace, and academic rigor place high expectations on the student and surpass standards specified by the Common Core/ Essential Standards Guidelines. These courses demand greater independence and responsibility than Level 3 courses. This level or higher is suggested for competitive college admission. Level 5: Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate - Course content, pace, and academic rigor are collegelevel as adopted by the College Board and International Baccalaureate Organization and prepare students to take the AP/IB examinations which may lead to college credit. Weighting of Grades and Class Rank A system of weighting courses is used when determining class rank. This system indicates the degree of difficulty of the courses. A student’s rank in class will be calculated with the NCWISE computer system using grade point averages based on a 4.0 weighted scale as follows: Grade
Numerical Value
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
A
93-100
4
4
5
6
B
85-92
3
3
4
5
C
77-84
2
2
3
4
D
70-76
1
1
2
3
F
0-69
0
0
0
0
Please note that final marks of WF (withdrew failing) and FF (failed due to absences) will be computed in the grade point average and the student ranking process as a course attempted and failed. The following marks will not be computed in the grade point average and the student ranking process: WP
Withdrew Passing
P
In a Pass/Fail Course
F
In a Pass/Fail Course
AUD
Audited Course
NC
No Credit
Suggested Courses for AIG Students It is recommended that academically talented students take level four courses (honors) throughout their freshman and sophomore years and begin taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses when feasible. Because of the national testing associated with AP courses, strong grades and AP exam scores can improve students’ standing as it relates to college admissions. Students may want to consider beginning their freshman year in high school by taking honors courses in order to have time for AP courses while in high school. Students are encouraged to take four courses of a world language.
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