Dear AP Biology Student and Parents: August 2013
We are very pleased that you have chosen to enroll in AP Biology for what promises to be an exciting year. We want to give you some information about the course so that you might understand what you are getting into and what you might expect to get out of it.
As you are probably aware, the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board is designed to let students in high school obtain college credit and/or advanced placement above the introductory course level at the college they attend. This is a program of credit by examination. The College Board hires the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to administer and evaluate the AP Biology Exam. The exam consists of 63 multiple-choice questions, 6 grid-in questions, 6 short free response questions, and 2 long free response questions. Grades are assigned on a basis of 1-5 with a 3 or higher as a passing score. Nationally, over 202,000 students took the Biology Exam in 2013 and about 63% of them passed with a score of 3 or better. At Career Center, 86% of AP Biology students scored a 3 or higher. Worldwide, over 2,900 colleges and universities give credit or advanced placement in select subjects to applicants who score well.
It is important that you consider why you are taking this course. If your primary reason for taking this course is to take a challenging science course, and/or to take and “pass” the AP exam, then AP Biology can help you meet these goals. If, on the other hand, your goal is to obtain credit for an introductory college biology course, then, to avoid being disappointed, you should contact the colleges you are likely to attend and find out if they accept AP scores for credit (not all of them do). You may check your school of interest's policy through the link our web sites found at the bottom of this letter. You may also need to find out if they require some of your academic work from this upcoming year.
Each student and parent should not be surprised by course requirements that are in excess of what you would expect from an honors-level course. It is not unusual for a student to be responsible for several assignments at the same time. Some students accustomed to making all A’s, will make B’s or C’s on tests and start to doubt themselves, their teachers, and their decisions to enter the course because they forget they are taking a college-level course with standards that are higher than usual. Students do not have to make A’s on every test to do well on the AP exam.
Although extracurricular activities should be chosen wisely, previous AP Biology students have been able to fully participate in athletics, student government, clubs and publications, but they had to plan their time carefully. Success in the course will depend on your motivation and maturity, your ability to read for comprehension and communicate well in writing, and on your ability to organize your life. Self-discipline is important because there will not be the kinds of daily checks on your homework that you are accustomed to in other courses. You must become an intentional learner.
If you or your parents have any questions or concerns about the course or the contents on this letter, do not hesitate to contact us at Career Center at (336)727-8181. We look forward to working with you this year.
Sincerely,
Sean BennettAndrew Mercer
AP Science InstructorAP Science Instructor