Advanced Placement Scholars Program

Advanced Placement Scholars Program 

The Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars Program is a four-year college preparatory program providing students with an educational foundation of critical thinking and analytical skills as well as the improvement of written, oral, and presentation skills. By participating in Advanced Placement courses based on AP curricula outlined by the College Board, students in the AP Scholars Program are given unique opportunities to analyze data, synthesize information from multiple sources and points of view, problem solve for real-life situations, work both independently and collaboratively, and communicate effectively in multiple formats. Students may also earn college credit for qualifying scores on AP exams (college credit for AP scores varies by college/university and by subject).

Program Requirements

Students must meet the minimum participation criteria as follows:

• 9th grade - Enroll in two or more advanced courses and complete the year with a ‘C’ or better in all courses.
• 10th grade - Enroll in any combination of two or more advanced or AP courses and complete the year with a ‘C’ or better in all courses.
• 11th grade - Enroll in two or more AP courses and complete the year with a ‘C’ or better in all courses.
• 12th grade - Enroll in two or more AP courses and complete the year with a ‘C’ or better in all courses.
• Participants must complete at least two advanced courses each year and five AP courses OR four AP courses and one Dual Enrollment course prior to graduation.
• Participants must maintain a 70% (C) average in all coursework to remain eligible to stay in the program.
• Participants must complete 60 community service hours prior to graduation; 15 hours per year is recommended.
• Participants must complete a final portfolio (Note the final projects in Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering Design and Development and AP Capstone (Seminar and Research) fulfill a component of the final portfolio).
• Participants must abide by the rules and guidelines of appropriate behavior as outlined in the Prince William County “Code of Behavior” and the school’s student handbook. Failure to abide by these guidelines could result in removal from the program.

Any student who has below 70% (C) in any class at the end of the first semester will be placed on probationary status. If the grade does not increase to 70% or higher by year-end, the student may be dismissed from the program. If a student is attending Patriot HS or Woodbridge HS as a transfer student, their transfer status will be rescinded and the student will enroll at their base school the following school year.

All AP courses require students to sit for external examinations administered by the College Board.