The Advanced Placement (AP) program plays a vital role in the rigorous curriculum of Austin Catholic. As a college preparatory school, Austin offers AP courses and Dual Enrollment (see link) as its highest and most
challenging academic experiences. These are truly college-level courses, and, as a result, many colleges and universities offer placement or credit based on students’ scores on the AP Exams.
Criteria for assigning college placement or credit vary from course to course and from college to college. The College Board provides an index of these policies on their website. However, whether or not a student earns college credit for an AP course, the true value of the AP experience lies in the college-level skills and content the student learns. Thus, it is important to note that a student’s grade in an AP course reflects his or her performance in the course itself (exams, essays, labs, assignments, etc.) and is distinct from the AP Exam score.
Admission to AP courses at Austin is based on teacher recommendations, PSAT scores, and grades in previous classes. The faculty and academic counselors discuss these procedures with students every year, both through individual conferences and in their classes.
By enrolling in the AP program, a student acknowledges its rigorous nature and agrees to give his or her best effort to succeed in it—both in the class and on the AP Exam.
More information about the AP program is available at apcentral.collegeboard.com.