Advanced Placement is designed to provide motivated high school students with post-secondary-level academic courses. This rigorous academic program offers students a head start in successfully navigating academic challenges they will encounter at post-secondary schools. Based on their performance on AP examinations, students can earn credit, advanced placement, or both for university and college courses. Students' achievements in AP courses are celebrated with course credit, College Board awards, and scholarships from most universities, including the University of Alberta.
About Advanced Placement
- A selection of academic courses at the post-secondary level taken in high school.
- A focused learning environment
- Academic skill development in writing, research, problem-solving, independent thinking, critical thinking and responsible scholarship
- Increased confidence and readiness for post-secondary studies
- Active, high-level learning that allows students to develop the skills, habits of mind, and concepts needed to succeed in post-secondary institutions
- The opportunity to take courses in specific areas of student interest and ability
- Credit for many university and college first-year courses
- The chance to challenge AP Language exams in a variety of languages to receive advanced placement or credit at university and college
Click Here to RSVP to AP Info Night
For More information please contact Andrew.Kozitzky@ecsd.net
AOB Office: 780-466-3161
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides the opportunity for motivated high school students to take post-secondary level academic courses.
Benefits of taking Advanced Placement
Students gain improved study habits, exam-writing experience, and time management skills.
These skills are necessary for success in post-secondary.
Universities will use the HIGHER of either the AP exam score or the course grade for admission.
An AP exam can NEVER lower a student’s grade.
As an example, the table below shows how the University of Alberta will convert an AP exam
score (from 1-5) to a percent grade that they will use on a student’s university application.
| AP EXAM SCORE | % COURSE GRADE EQUIVALENT |
|---|---|
| 5 | 96 |
| 4 | 86 |
| 3 | 76 |
| 2 | 65 |
| 1 | NOT ACCEPTED FOR ADMISSION |
After successful completion (a score of 4 or 5) of an AP exam, students may receive either Transfer
Credit or Advanced Placement at the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, and many other
Canadian universities.
• Transfer credit (credit is given for a university course, and the student does not have
to take the course)
• Advanced Placement (no credit is given, but a student can jump into the second-year
course without having to take the first-year course)
ADVANCED PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT AUSTIN O’BRIEN
In-class courses include (based on enrollment):
• AP Biology
• AP Calculus
• AP Computing Science Principles
• AP English Literature and Composition
• AP Physics
• AP Psychology
• AP Precalculus
• AP Seminar
• AP Statistics
Awards
A scholarship of $500 will be given to AP Scholars (students who earn a score of 3 or higher on three or
more AP exams throughout their high school career).
ADDRESSING MISCONCEPTIONS SURROUNDING ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES
One of the most common misconceptions among students and their parents is that student marks will be
lower because AP classes are harder; however, AP courses are structured so that the students are always
at an advantage.
• For content-based courses like Math or Science, exam questions that are outside of the Alberta
Program of Studies are kept separate and are not factored into the mark that will appear on the
student’s transcript.
• For skill-based writing courses, such as English, students are graded according to the rubrics
established by Alberta Education. Even though the literature studied is at an advanced level, the
assessment is at grade level. If students do assignments specific to the content on the AP English
Literature and Composition Exam, they are assessed and receive feedback, but the scores are not
included as part of their English course grade.
Advanced Placement is not a program that is strictly for the “academic elite.” i.e. those with 80% and
above averages. Determination for placement into the Advanced Placement program should be based on
enthusiasm for learning and interest in the subject area.
AP SEMINAR AND AP RESEARCH
AP Seminar and AP Research are separate courses that provide students with the opportunity
to earn either an AP Capstone Diploma or AP Seminar and Research Certificate. Students must
obtain at least a 3 in both AP Seminar and AP Research to qualify for the certificate or Capstone
Diploma. Students must also obtain a 3 or higher in 4 additional AP courses to qualify for the AP
Capstone Diploma.
In AP Seminar, students investigate a topic of their choosing by analyzing data, synthesizing
ideas and arguments, and presenting their findings. Students will take the skills they have learned
and developed in AP Seminar to complete AP Research. In AP Research, students will conduct
independent research to complete an academic paper on their topic of interest. Students will be
expected to present their paper and orally defend their research.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Contact the AP Coordinator (Mr. Kozitzky) at (780) 466–3161 or andrew.kozitzky@ecsd.net
Additional Information
AOB School Contact (780) 466 – 3161
For further information about AP:
· Government of Alberta - AP/IB Program Information
· MacEwan University- MacEwan AP Program Info
. U of A - U of A - AP Program Info