Five different AP Classes at Wheeling Park High School had a 100% pass rate–A first for the school and an incredibly impressive achievement. The classes were AP Chemistry, AP English Language & Composition, AP Music Theory, AP Seminar, and AP US History.
The scores were “just fantastic,” said recently appointed Advanced Placement Coordinator, Mr. Kaniecki.
When scoring AP tests, the raw scores from the multiple-choice and free-response sections are combined to form a single composite score. The composite score is then converted to the 5-point scale using a process that ensures consistency in the level of achievement required for each score, year after year. This process is based on research correlating AP student performance with that of college students in similar courses. Scores of 3 and above are considered qualified to receive college credit or “passing.”
“It’s a matter of getting all of my students to understand what is expected of them and to give them confidence to believe in their abilities,” said AP Chemistry teacher Mrs. Redilla.
Confidence is so important to succeeding on any sort of test, especially AP. If you have the mindset that you can achieve, then you are more likely to be able to.
It’s not just about the scores, though. AP classes give students so much more than college credit, even if that’s a nice bonus.
“The growth that happens in kids’ reading and critical thinking and their writing over the course of the year–that’s always the goal,” said AP Language & Composition teacher Mrs. Johnson.
These vital skills will be helpful to students not just in high school but for the rest of their lives.