ADVANCED COURSES...
all about
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NUMBERS:
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NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED FOR 2011-12 SCHOOL YEAR
11
91 LANG. & COMP.
CHEM
1. CHALLENGE YOURSELF—AP students have higher expectations to meet because it is a “higher level of thinking,” according to Carl Lund, AP Language and Composition. Students must learn to analyze and apply the information they learn to get a full understanding of the subject. 2. It’s been proven that students who take AP course are more SUCCESSFUL IN COLLEGE—even if they do not pass the AP test at the end of the year, according to Lund. 3. Students get the CHANCE TO LEARN MORE than they would otherwise in a regular or honors class.
CALC 8
PSYCHOLOGY
T THE “FINALLY UNDERSTANIDNG WHA TEACHER IS SAYING IS THE BEST PART ABOUT TAKING AN AP CLASS.”
1. HEAVIER WORKLOAD—Regular courses tend to have more in-class work, but with AP courses, there is definitely more homework. 2. With the limited amount of course hours, it can be HARD TO FIT them into your schedule if you’re taking more than one. 3. If you don’t have decent TIME-MANAGEMENT and ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, attempting to take on these classes can be quite a challenge.
GOVERNMENT
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168 STUDIO ART
DISADVANTAGES
8—BIOLOGY
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37
ADVANTAGES
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47 US HIST2
The school has 11 AP courses available for students to potentially receive college credit. Get the full details on each course just in time for enrollment.
-- JACKIE ROBINSON, SR. WHO HAS TAKEN FOUR AP COURSES THROUGHOUT HER HIGH SCHOOL YEARS PHOTO BY ANGELA VUONG
STUDIO ART
PSYCHOLOGY
CALCULUS
GOVERNMENT
LITERATURE
CHEMISTRY
U.S. HISTORY 2
STATISTICS
BIOLOGY
LANG. & COMP.
MUSIC THEORY:
Prerequisite: Introduction to Art Grade: 12 A.P Studio Art is a class designed to help students who are planning on attendin an art institute. “If you’re interested in going into school for any kind of art, it looks good on your application, and it helps you build your portfolio. It’s a very intense course, and you have to be dedicated to making art all the time,” said Gina Brillhart, A.P. Studio Art instructor.
Grade: 11, 12
Prerequisite: Precalculus/Trigonometry Grade: 11, 12
Grade: 12
Prerequisite: English 3 Grade: 12
Prerequisite: Algebra 2, Chemistry 1 Grade: 11, 12
Grade: 11
Prerequisite: 1 unit of Algebra 2 Grade: 11, 12
Prerequisite: Algebra 1, Biology 1, Chemistry 1 Grade: 11, 12
Grade: 11
Prerequisite: Previous music experience Grades: 11, 12
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FEATURE
The purpose of the Advanced Placement course in Psychology is to introduce students to the systematic study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. “You will be exposed to more general psychology than you will be in any other psychology class,” said A.P. Psychology instructor, Steve Wentz.
A.P. Calculus studies university-level topics of limits, differentiation and integration of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions and their applications of focus. Instructor Anita Curtis said that you should take A.P. Calculus for “the sake of learning and for college credit.”
In this course, students will learn about American government and politics. The class is designed to mirror an entry level college course on the US Government. According to Darren Nighswonger, instructor, students “will get college preparation, have a chance to get college credit, and it looks good on college applications.”
Advanced Placement Literature helps students study and analyze all kinds of language, literature pieces, themes, and composition, and prepares everybody for the A.P. test that happens in May. “It’s all geared for the understanding of literature,” said Jeanette Blide, one of the A.P. Literature teachers.
Advanced Placement Chemistry is equivalent to the first-year college chemistry course. This course can give you 10 hours of college credit at WSU. “If you want to go into medicine, pharmacy or engineering, it’ll make your freshman year of college easier,” said Scott Murphy, instructor. 10
Advanced Placement United States History 2 is a course that provides specific directed preparation for the A.P. US History Exam. “You can receive college credit, it gives you an opportunity to look in depth at the events that have shaped our country, and it prepares you for college,” said Kathy Saar, one of the A.P. US History teachers. FEATURE
A.P. Calculus help students study university-level topics of limits, differentiation and integration of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions and their applications of focus. Anita Curtis instructor said that you should take A.P. Calculus for “the sake of learning and for college credit.”
A.P. Biology covers three general areas: molecules and cells, genetics and evolution; and organism and populations. “It gives college credit and also teaches the student about themselves, and it is really good if they want to become a doctor,” said Monica Tarver, A.P. biology instructor.
AP English Language and Composition, also known as APLanC, is “wrapping your brain around concepts that they may not have been taught before,” according to APLanC teacher, Tracy Catlin. Students will learn to write effective essays, particularly persuasive essays and how to analyze arguments from a variety of historical periods.
Advanced Placement Music Theory is a class “to further understand how music works. Theory is the most important in depth knowledge you can have,” according to Travis Hale, instructor. This course was not offered for the 2011-2012 school year but will be next year if enough people sign up. FEATURE
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