Examine individual changes

'{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}} {{Use American English|date=January 2013}} {{Advanced Placement}} {{Education in the U.S.}} '''Advanced Placement''' ('''AP''') is a program in the United States and Canada created by the [[College Board]] which offers college-level [[curriculum|curricular]] and examinations to [[high school]] students. American colleges and universities may grant placement and [[course credit]] to students who obtain high scores on the examinations. The AP curriculum for each of the various subjects is created for the College Board by a panel of experts and college-level educators in that [[Discipline (academia)|field of study]]. For a high school course to have the designation, the course must be audited by the College Board to ascertain that it satisfies the AP curriculum. If the course is approved, the school may use the AP designation and the course will be publicly listed on the AP Course Ledger.<ref>{{cite web|title=AP Course Ledger|url=https://apcourseaudit.inflexion.org/ledger/|work=AP Course Audit|publisher=University of Oregon|accessdate=May 1, 2018}}</ref> ==History== After the end of [[World War II]], the [[Ford Foundation]] created a fund that supported committees studying education.<ref>{{cite web| title= A Brief History of the Advanced Placement Program| url= http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/about/news_info/ap/ap_history_english.pdf| accessdate= January 29, 2009| publisher= [[College Board]]| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090205075824/http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/about/news_info/ap/ap_history_english.pdf| archivedate= February 5, 2009| deadurl= yes| df= mdy-all}}</ref> The program, which was then referred to as the "Kenyon Plan",<ref>{{cite web|title=Historical Markers: Kenyon College |url=https://lbis.kenyon.edu/sca/markers/college |accessdate=May 29, 2011 |publisher=[[Kenyon College]] |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719231345/https://lbis.kenyon.edu/sca/markers/college |archivedate=July 19, 2011 }}</ref> was founded and pioneered at [[Kenyon College]] in Gambier, Ohio, by the then-college president [[Gordon Chalmers]]. The first study was conducted by three prep schools—the [[Lawrenceville School]], [[Phillips Academy]] and [[Phillips Exeter Academy]]—and three universities—[[Harvard University]], [[Princeton University]] and [[Yale University]]. In 1952 they issued the report ''General Education in School and College: A Committee Report'' which recommended allowing high school seniors to study college level material and to take achievement exams that allowed them to attain college credit for this work.<ref>{{cite web| title = The Liberal Arts in School and College|author=Stanley N. Katz | url= http://chronicle.com/article/The-Liberal-Arts-in-School-and/10344 | date= March 10, 2006 | publisher= [[The Chronicle of Higher Education]] | accessdate =January 21, 2011}}</ref> The second committee, the Committee on Admission with Advanced Standing, developed and implemented the plan to choose a curriculum. A pilot program was run in 1952 which covered eleven disciplines. In the 1955-56 school year, it was nationally implemented in ten subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, History, French, German, Spanish, and Latin. The [[College Board]], a non-profit organization<ref>[http://www.collegeboard.com/about/index.html About the College Board] from collegeboard.com</ref> based in New York City, has run the AP program since 1955.<ref>[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/program/history/8019.html The History of the AP Program] from collegeboard.com</ref> From 1965 to 1989, [[Harlan Hanson]] was the director of the Advanced Placement Program.<ref>{{cite web|last=DiYanni|first=Robert |title=The History of AP Program |url=http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/21502.html |year=2008 |publisher= CollegeBoard.com |accessdate=July 23, 2009}}</ref> It develops and maintains guidelines for the teaching of higher level courses in various subject areas. In addition, it supports teachers of AP courses and supports universities.<ref>[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/program/index.html The Advanced Placement Program] from collegeboard.com</ref> These activities are funded through fees required to take the AP exams. In 2006, over one million students took over two million Advanced Placement examinations.<ref>[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap06_prog_summary_rpt.pdf Program Summary Report 2006] from collegeboard.com</ref> Many high schools in the United States offer AP courses,<ref>[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap05_apfactsheet_37491.pdf AP Fact Sheet] from collegeboard.com</ref> though the College Board allows any student to take any examination regardless of participation in its respective course.<ref>[http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about_faq.html#faq1 AP: Frequently Asked Questions] from collegeboard.com</ref> Therefore, [[homeschooling|home-schooled]] students and students from schools that do not offer AP courses have an equal opportunity to take AP exams. As of the 2015 testing season, exams cost $91 each,<ref>https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/takingtheexam/exam-fees</ref> though the cost may be subsidized by local or state programs. Financial aid is available for students who qualify for it; the exam reduction is $26 or $28 per exam from College Board plus an additional $8 rebate per fee-reduced exam from the school. There may be further reductions depending on the state. Out of the $91, $8 goes directly to the school to pay for the administration of the test, which some schools will reduce to lower the cost to the student.{{Citation needed|date=June 2016}} On April 3, 2008, the College Board announced that four AP courses—French Literature, Latin Literature, Computer Science AB, and Italian Language and Culture—would be discontinued after the 2008–2009 school year due to lack of funding.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/04/03/ST2008040303977.html |title= AP Language, Computer Courses Cut |work=The Washington Post |date= April 4, 2008| accessdate=January 21, 2011 | first=Daniel | last=de Vise}}</ref><ref>[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/195950.html Important Announcement about AP Italian Language and Culture] from collegeboard.com</ref> However, the Italian Language and Culture test was again offered beginning in 2011. Starting July 2013 AP allowed students for the first time to both view and send their scores online.<ref>[https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apscores AP Online Scores]</ref> The number of AP exams administered each year has seen a steady increase over the past decade. In 2003, 175,860 English Language and Composition exams were administered. By 2013, this number had risen to 476,277, or an increase of 171%. Such an increase has occurred in nearly all AP exams offered, with the AP Psychology exam seeing a 281% increase over the past decade. In 2017, the most taken AP exam was [[AP English Language and Composition|English Language and Composition]] with 579,426 students and the least taken AP exam was [[AP Japanese Language and Culture|Japanese Language and Culture]] with 2,429 students.<ref>https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/research/2017/Student-Score-Distributions-2017.pdf</ref> The AP exams begin on the first Monday in May and last ten school days (two weeks). ==Scoring== AP tests are scored on a 1 to 5 scale as follows:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apscore.collegeboard.org/scores/about-ap-scores|title=About AP Scores – The College Board|website=apscore.collegeboard.org|access-date=May 9, 2017}}</ref> *'''5''' – Extremely well qualified *'''4''' – Well qualified *'''3''' – Qualified *'''2''' – Possibly qualified *'''1''' – No recommendation The multiple choice component of the exam is scored by computer, while the free response and essay portions are scored by trained Readers at the AP Reading each June. The scores on various components are weighted and combined into a raw Composite Score. The Chief Reader for each exam then decides on the grade cutoffs for that year's exam, which determine how the Composite Scores are converted into the final grades. During the process a number of reviews and statistical analyses are performed to ensure that the grading is reliable. The overall goal is for the grades to reflect an absolute scale of performance which can be compared from year to year.<ref>{{cite web| title= AP Central – Exam Scoring | url= http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/1994.html | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080113162234/http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/1994.html| archivedate=January 13, 2008| publisher=[[College Board]] }}</ref> Some colleges use AP test scores to exempt students from introductory coursework, others use them to place students in higher designated courses, and some do both. Each college's policy is different, but most require a minimum score of 3 or 4 to receive college credit.<ref>[http://pathaspire.com/standardized/ap/ap/1/ Understanding AP Exams] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908231132/http://pathaspire.com/standardized/ap/ap/1/ |date=September 8, 2008 }} from PathAspire.com</ref> Typically, this appears as a "CR" grade on the college transcript, although some colleges and universities will award an A grade for a 5 score.<ref>[http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/212187.html Multiple-Choice Scores] from collegeboard.com</ref> Some countries, such as Germany, that do not offer general admission to their universities and colleges for holders of an American high school diploma without preparatory courses will directly admit students who have completed a specific set of AP tests, depending on the subject they wish to study there. In addition, completing AP courses help students qualify for various types of scholarships. According to the College Board, 31 percent of colleges and universities look at AP experience when making scholarship decisions.<ref> {{cite web |url=http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/assessment/ap/ |title=AP Program |publisher=College Board |accessdate=August 5, 2012}}, citing "Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research, Inc. March 2007." </ref> Beginning with the May 2011 AP Exam administration, the College Board changed the scoring method of AP Exams.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Guess What? Taking AP Exams Just Got Easier | publisher = ParentDish | year = 2010 | url = http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/12/guess-what-taking-ap-exams-just-got-easier/|accessdate=March 6, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/11/ap-eliminates-guessing-pe_n_678757.html |work=HuffPost | first=Leah | last=Finnegan | title=AP Eliminates Guessing Penalty On Tests | date=August 11, 2010}}</ref> Total scores on the multiple-choice section are now based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points are no longer deducted for incorrect answers and, as was the case before, no points are awarded for unanswered questions. However, scoring requirements have also been increased. ==Score reporting== Starting with the May 2013 AP Examination Administration, the College Board launched an Internet-based score reporting service.<ref>{{cite web|title=Score Reporting Services|url=http://www.apscore.org/schedule.html|publisher=[[College Board]]|accessdate=July 4, 2013|pages=1|year=2013}}</ref> Students can use their 2013 AP Number or Student Number (if one was indicated) along with a College Board Account,<ref>{{cite web|title=Create a CollegeBoard Account|url=https://account.collegeboard.org/iamweb/smartRegister|publisher=[[College Board]]|accessdate=July 4, 2013|pages=1|year=2013}}</ref> to access current and previous years' exam scores. This system can also be used to send scores to colleges and universities for which a four-digit institutional code<ref>{{cite web|title=List of 4-digit Institutional Codes, PDF|url=http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_aidi_fellowships.pdf|publisher=[[Educational Testing Service]]|accessdate=July 4, 2013|pages=1|year=2013}}</ref> is assigned. ==Exam subsidies== {{unreferenced section|date=August 2012}} Recognizing that the cost could be an impediment to students of limited means, a number of states and municipalities independent of the [[College Board]] have partially or fully subsidized the cost. For example, the state of Florida reimburses schools districts for the exam costs of students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses. The [[Los Angeles Unified School District]], the [[Montebello Unified School District]], the [[Hawaii Department of Education]], [[New York City Department of Education]], and the state of Indiana subsidize all AP Examination fees in subjects of math and science, and the [[Edmonds School District]] in suburban Seattle currently subsidizes Advanced Placement fees of students who enroll in the free school lunch program. In addition, some school districts offer free tests to all students enrolled in any Advanced Placement class. ==Advanced Placement courses== There are currently 38 courses and exams available through the AP Program.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/index.html|title=AP Central - Course Home Pages|website=apcentral.collegeboard.com|access-date=May 9, 2017}}</ref> A complete list of courses can be found below: {| |- | valign="top" | * [[Advanced Placement Art History|AP Art History]] * [[Advanced Placement Biology|AP Biology]] * [[Advanced Placement Calculus#AP Calculus AB|AP Calculus AB]] * [[Advanced Placement Calculus#AP Calculus BC|AP Calculus BC]] * [[Advanced Placement Chemistry|AP Chemistry]] * [[Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture|AP Chinese Language and Culture]] * [[Advanced Placement Computer Science#AP Computer Science A|AP Computer Science A]] * [[Advanced Placement Computer Science#AP Computer Science Principles|AP Computer Science Principles]] * [[Advanced Placement English Language and Composition|AP English Language and Composition]] * [[Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition|AP English Literature and Composition]] * [[Advanced Placement Environmental Science|AP Environmental Science]] * [[Advanced Placement European History|AP European History]] * [[Advanced Placement French Language|AP French Language and Culture]] * [[Advanced Placement German Language|AP German Language and Culture]] | valign="top" | * [[Advanced Placement Comparative Government and Politics|AP Government and Politics: Comparative]] * [[Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics|AP Government and Politics: United States]] * [[AP Human Geography]] * [[Advanced Placement Italian Language and Culture|AP Italian Language and Culture]] * [[Advanced Placement Japanese Language and Culture|AP Japanese Language and Culture]] * [[Advanced Placement Latin|AP Latin]] * [[Advanced Placement Macroeconomics|AP Macroeconomics]] * [[Advanced Placement Microeconomics|AP Microeconomics]] * [[Advanced Placement Music Theory|AP Music Theory]] * [[AP Physics 1]] * [[AP Physics 2]] * [[Advanced Placement Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism|AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism]] * [[Advanced Placement Physics C: Mechanics|AP Physics C: Mechanics]] | valign="top" | * [[Advanced Placement Psychology|AP Psychology]] * [[AP Capstone#AP Research|AP Research]] (Second part of the [[AP Capstone]] program) * [[AP Capstone#AP Seminar|AP Seminar]] (First part of the AP Capstone program) * [[Advanced Placement Statistics|AP Statistics]] * [[Advanced Placement Spanish Language|AP Spanish Language and Culture]] * [[Advanced Placement Spanish Literature|AP Spanish Literature and Culture]] * [[Advanced Placement Studio Art#AP Studio Art 2D|AP Studio Art: 2-D Design]] * [[Advanced Placement Studio Art#AP Studio Art 3D|AP Studio Art: 3-D Design]] * [[Advanced Placement Studio Art#AP Studio Art Drawing|AP Studio Art: Drawing]] * [[Advanced Placement United States History|AP United States History]] * [[Advanced Placement World History|AP World History]] |} ==Recent and upcoming exam changes== === 2016–2017 === * AP World History ** This exam will also undergo the same basic changes to the 2014-2015 United States History and 2015-2016 European History exams.<ref>{{Cite web|title = AP World History Revisions - Advances in AP - The College Board {{!}} Advances in AP|url = https://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/english-history-and-social-science/world-history|website = advancesinap.collegeboard.org|accessdate = June 3, 2015}}</ref> *** Shortened multiple-choice section with 55 questions, accounting for 40% of the total exam score. These are reduced from 70 questions and 50% in previous years, respectively. *** Four short-answer questions in place of one of the long essays, accounting for 20% of the total exam score. These questions are given a 50-minute writing period. *** Document-based question (DBQ) and the remaining long essay now account for 25% and 15% of the exam score respectively. New writing periods of 55 minutes and 35 minutes respectively are given instead of the combined 120-minute writing period for all three essays in previous exams. *AP Calculus AB **Time format changed **Addition of [[L'Hôpital's rule]] *AP Calculus BC **Addition of limit comparison tests, absolute and conditional convergence, and the alternating series. === 2018–2019 === * AP United States Government and Politics<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/english-history-and-social-science/us-government-politics|title=AP U.S. Government and Politics - Advances in AP - The College Board|website=advancesinap.collegeboard.org|access-date=May 9, 2017}}</ref> ** Section I (MCQ) will be extended from 60 questions in 45 minutes to 55 questions in 80 minutes. It will still count towards 50% of the total exam score. *** The questions will feature a greater use of scenarios and stimulus material. *** The number of answer choices for each question will be reduced from five to four. ** Section II (FRQ) will include five questions (instead of four) in 100 minutes (the same amount of time as the current exam). *** Two will be short answer concept application questions, one with a scenario and one without. *** One will be a quantitative analysis and interpretation question with a visual stimulus. *** One will be a qualitative analysis and interpretation question with text and/or visual excerpts. *** One will be an argumentation essay requiring supporting evidence and reasoning. ==Recent exam information== [[File:AP Exams Taken in 2013.svg|400px|thumb|AP exams were taken by subject in 2013.]]Below are statistics from the 2014 year of exams showing the number of participants, the percentage who obtained a score of three (3) or higher, and the average score. (Students generally need a score of three (3) or higher to receive credit or benefit). {| class="wikitable sortable" |+2014 scoring results ! Exam name ! Number administered ! Scored ≥3 (%) ! Mean score |- | Art History | 23,213 | 59.6 | 2.82 |- | Biology | 213,294 | 64.2 | 2.91 |- | Calculus AB | 294,072 | 58.9 | 2.94 |- | Calculus BC | 93,180 | 84.6 | 4.02 |- | Chemistry | 148,554 | 52.8 | 2.68 |- | Chinese Language | 10,728 | 94.5 | 4.43 |- | Computer Science | 39,278 | 61.2 | 2.96 |- | English Language | 505,244 | 55.8 | 2.79 |- | English Literature | 397,477 | 55.0 | 2.76 |- | Environmental Science | 130,321 | 47.3 | 2.60 |- | European History | 110,297 | 59.5 | 2.65 |- | French Language | 21,268 | 78.0 | 3.36 |- | German Language | 5,111 | 73.3 | 3.34 |- | United States Government | 271,043 | 50.7 | 2.62 |- | Comparative Government | 20,361 | 62.0 | 3.09 |- | Human Geography | 136,448 | 52.0 | 2.64 |- | Italian Language | 2,331 | 69.6 | 3.23 |- | Japanese Language | 2,311 | 75.9 | 3.56 |- | Latin | 6,542 | 65.8 | 3.05 |- | Macroeconomics | 117,209 | 57.8 | 2.89 |- | Microeconomics | 74,049 | 65.6 | 3.07 |- | Music Theory | 17,176 | 62.7 | 3.07 |- | Physics B | 93,574 | 60.7 | 2.89 |- | Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 20,765 | 70.8 | 3.51 |- | Physics C: Mechanics | 47,000 | 76.7 | 3.56 |- | Psychology | 259,789 | 65.5 | 3.09 |- | Spanish Language | 135,341 | 89.3 | 3.72 |- | Spanish Literature | 20,118 | 74.5 | 3.14 |- | Statistics | 184,173 | 59.6 | 2.86 |- | Studio Art: 2-D Design | 26,811 | 78.5 | 3.33 |- | Studio Art: 3-D Design | 4,256 | 67.5 | 3.04 |- | Studio Art: Drawing | 16,928 | 77.5 | 3.27 |- | United States History | 462,766 | 52.4 | 2.76 |- | World History | 245,699 | 54.5 | 2.66 |- | '''Total''' | '''4,135,962''' | | |} One issue to consider is the fact that not all AP students take their course's test. The College Board estimates that about 2/3 of students enrolled in an AP course take the course's AP test.<ref name="College Board, 2001">{{cite web|last1=College Board|title=Access to excellence: A report of the commission on the future of the Advanced Placement Program|url=http://research.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/publications/2012/7/misc2001-2-future-advanced-placement.pdf|publisher=Author|accessdate=January 12, 2017}}</ref> On the other hand, a study of University of California system students found that only about 55% to 60% of AP students took their course's exam.<ref name="Geiser & Santelices, 2004">{{cite web|last1=Geiser|first1=Saul|last2=Santelices|first2=Veronica|title=The role of Advanced Placement and honors courses in college admissions|url=http://www.cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/role-advanced-placement-and-honors-courses-college-admissions|publisher=Center for Studies in Higher Education, University of California|accessdate=January 12, 2017}}</ref> However, "It has recently become clear . . . that these estimations of overall participation rates mask the variability in participation rates across AP examinations."<ref name="dx.doi.org">{{cite journal |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F2158244016682996 |last1=Warne|first1=R. T.|title=Research on the academic benefits of the Advanced Placement Program: Taking stock and looking forward|journal=SAGE Open|year=2017|volume=7|issue=1|page=9|doi=10.1177/2158244016682996|accessdate=January 14, 2017}}</ref> For example, one study of math and science AP courses showed that participation rates were 52.7% for AP Chemistry, 53.6% for AP Physics, 57.7% for AP Biology, and 77.4% for AP Calculus.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sadler|first1=P. M.|last2=Sonnert|first2=G.|last3=Hazari|first3=Z.|last4=Tai|first4=R.|title=The role of advanced high school coursework in increasing STEM career interest|journal=Science Educator|year=2014|volume=23|page=6}}</ref> The largest study on this topic found similar participation rates (49.5% for AP Chemistry, 52.3% for AP Physics, 54.5% for Biology, and 68.9% for Calculus).<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Warne|first1=R. T.|title=Research on the academic benefits of the Advanced Placement Program: Taking stock and looking forward |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F2158244016682996 |journal=SAGE Open|year=2017|volume=7|issue=1|page=9|doi=10.1177/2158244016682996|accessdate=January 14, 2017}}</ref> History exams tend to have slightly higher participation rates (57.9% for AP European History, 58.5% for AP World History, and 62.8% for AP U.S. History), and 65.4% of AP English students took either the AP English Language or AP English Literature exam.<ref name="dx.doi.org"/> This same study found that for "core AP subjects (i.e., no arts or language subjects)", the overall test participation rate was 60.8%.<ref name="dx.doi.org"/> In February 2014 College Board released data from the previous ten years of AP exams. College Board found that 33.2% of public high school graduates from the class of 2013 had taken an AP exam, compared to 18.9% in 2003. In 2013 20.1% of graduates who had taken an AP test achieved a 3 or higher compared to 12.2% in 2003. ==Criticism== ===Decreasing quality=== In the 21st century, independent educational researchers began to question whether AP could maintain high academic standards while experiencing explosive growth.<ref name="Lichten, 2000">{{cite journal|last1=Lichten|first1=William|title=Whither Advanced Placement|journal=Education Policy Analysis Archives|year=2000|volume=8|issue=29|url=http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/420|accessdate=January 12, 2017}}</ref> Research has shown that the most popular AP tests tend to have the lowest passing rates, a possible indication that less academically prepared students are enrolling in AP classes.<ref name="Warne, 2017">{{cite journal|last1=Warne|first1=R. T.|title=Research on the academic benefits of the Advanced Placement program: Taking stock and looking forward |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F2158244016682996 |journal=SAGE Open|year=2017|volume=7|issue=1|doi=10.1177/2158244016682996|accessdate=January 14, 2017}}</ref> Whether the AP program can serve large numbers of students without decreasing academic rigor is a matter of debate within the education field.<ref name="Lichten, 2000" /><ref name="Lichten, 2010">{{cite book|last1=Lichten|first1=William|editor1-last=Sadler|editor1-first=P. M.|editor2-last=Sonnert|editor2-first=G.|editor3-last=Tai|editor3-first=R. H.|editor4-last=Klopfenstein|editor4-first=K.|title=AP: A critical examination of the Advanced Placement program|date=2010|publisher=Harvard Education Press|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|pages=233–243|chapter=Whither Advanced Placement--now?}}</ref> ===Passing scores and university credit=== University faculty, such as former professor and high school teacher John Tierney, have expressed doubts about the value of a passing AP score.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tireny|first1=John|title=AP Classes Are a Scam|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/10/ap-classes-are-a-scam/263456/|website=The Atlantic|accessdate=November 1, 2017}}</ref> Students who receive scores of 3 or 4 are being given college credit at fewer universities.{{When|date=June 2016}} Academic departments also criticise the increasing proportion of students who take and pass AP courses but are not ready for college-level work.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Zimar |first1=Heather |year=2005 |title=Universities Raise Standards for Earning Advanced Placement Credit |journal=SEM Source: An Update on State of the Art Student Services |issue=January 2005 |publisher=American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers |url=http://www2.aacrao.org/sem/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2439 |accessdate=November 7, 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729064348/http://www2.aacrao.org/sem/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2439 |archivedate=July 29, 2012 }}</ref> ===Academic achievement=== Independent researchers in education have since 2010 studied the impact of the Advanced Placement program on students' academic achievement. An early study published in ''AP: A critical examination of the Advanced Placement program'' found that students who took AP courses in the sciences but failed the AP exam performed no better in college science courses than students without any AP course at all. Referring to students who complete the course but fail the exam, the head researcher, Phillip M. Sadler, stated in an interview that "research shows that they don't appear to have learned anything during the year, so there is probably a better course for them".<ref name="hood">{{cite journal |last1=Hood |first1=Lucy |last2=Sadler |first2=Philip M. |year=2010 |title=Putting AP to the Test: New research assesses the Advanced Placement program |journal=Harvard Education Letter |volume=26 |issue=May/June 2010 |url=http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/466#home |accessdate=November 7, 2012}}</ref> Two other studies compared non-AP students with AP students who had not taken their course's AP exam, had taken the AP exam but did not pass it, or had passed the AP exam. Like Sadler's study, both found that AP students who passed their exam scored highest in other measures of academic achievement.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ackerman|first1=Phillip|last2=Kanfer|first2=Ruth|last3=Calderwood|first3=Charles|title=High school Advanced Placement and student performance in college: STEM majors, non-STEM majors, and gender differences|journal=Teachers College Record|year=2013|volume=115|issue=10|pages=1–43|ref=Ackerman et al. (2013)}}</ref> The largest study of this sort, with a sample size of over 90,000, replicated these results and also showed that non-AP students performed with equal levels of academic achievement as AP students who did not take their course's AP exam—even after controlling for over 70 intervening variables.<ref name="Warne et al. (2015)">{{cite journal|last1=Warne|first1=Russell T.|last2=Larsen|first2=Ross|last3=Anderson|first3=Braydon|last4=Odasso|first4=Alyce J.|title=The impact of participation in the Advanced Placement program on students' college admissions test scores|journal=The Journal of Educational Research|year=2015|volume=108|issue=5|pages=400–416|doi=10.1080/00220671.2014.917253|url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00220671.2014.917253}}</ref> This led the authors to state that AP participation "... is not beneficial to students who merely enroll in the courses ..."<ref name="Warne et al. (2015)" />^:p.&nbsp;414 ===School quality=== Several states use Advanced Placement data for accountability purposes, and [[U.S. News and World Report]] use data on Advanced Placement course offerings and participation to rank high schools.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Morse|first1=Robert|title=How U.S. News Calculated the 2015 Best High Schools Rankings|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings|accessdate=August 22, 2015}}</ref> However, studies of local school districts<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lichten|first1=William|title=Whither Advanced Placement--now|date=2010|publisher=Harvard Education Press|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|pages=233–243}}</ref> and the United States as a whole<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Warne|first1=Russell|last2=Anderson|first2=Braydon|title=The Advanced Placement program's impact on academic achievement|journal=New Educational Foundations|issue=4|pages=32–54|url=http://www.newfoundations.com/NEFpubs/NEF4sum2015.pdf}}</ref> show that increasing AP participation does not increase the overall academic achievement or school quality at the group (e.g., high school, racial/ethnic group, nation) level. This led one researcher to state, "Clearly, offering AP alone will not magically turn a failing school into a successful one."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Warne|first1=Russell T.|title=Pushing students to take Advanced Placement courses does not help anyone|url=https://theconversation.com/pushing-students-to-take-advanced-placement-courses-does-not-help-anyone-45350|accessdate=August 22, 2015}}</ref> ===Gender differences=== Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze ethnic and gender differences in Advanced Placement (AP) exam performance of U.S. high school students. Specifically, the extent to which differences exist in overall AP exam performance scores within and between four ethnic groups (i.e., Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White) was investigated. Within each ethnic group, the extent to which gender differences exist was determined. Finally, an analysis of these differences over a 16-year time period was conducted to determine the extent to which national trends was present in overall AP exam performance. Methodology: To ascertain the ethnic and gender differences in overall AP exam performance by U.S. high school students, a nonexperimental, causal-comparative "ex post facto" research design was utilized. After 16 years of archival data from the College Board for the 1997 through the 2012 school years were downloaded, Pearson chi-square tests were conducted to determine whether statistically significant ethnic and gender differences in AP performance were present for Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White students. For statistically significant results, effect sizes were calculated to determine the level of practical significance. Findings: For the 16 years of data, Asian students had higher overall AP performance scores than did White, Black, and Hispanic students. All statistical analyses yielded statistically significant results, revealing either trivial or small effect sizes. Within each ethnic group, the overall AP performance of males exceeded the performance of females. Comparing ethnicity and gender differences revealed a consistent stair-step achievement gap wherein. Asian and White males outperformed Asian and White females; Hispanic males outperformed Hispanic females who outperformed Black males who outperformed Black females. Although Hispanic and Black students exponentially increased their participation in AP exams, their passing AP exam scores declined. Moreover, Black males and Black females underperformed all other groups. Due to the large numbers of failing exam scores, a negative trend in the cost effectiveness ratio for Black and Hispanic students represented the potential for millions of dollars wasted on AP expansion policies by public funding. Thus, the AP program needs to undergo a critical evaluation of its methods to provide college readiness for disadvantaged students. ==See also== {{Portal|Education|Canada|United States}} *[[Advanced Placement Awards]] *[[GCE Advanced Level]] *[[Education in Canada]] *[[Education in the United States]] *[[International Baccalaureate]] *[[Glossary of biology]] *[[Glossary of chemistry terms|Glossary of chemistry]] *[[Glossary of economics]] *[[Glossary of physics]] *[[Glossary of probability and statistics]] == References == {{Reflist|30em}} == Further reading == *McCauley, David. 2007. The Impact of Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment Program on College Graduation. *Applied Research Project. Texas State University. http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/206/ *Schneider, Jack. 2008. ''[http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0528/p09s01-coop.html Schools' Unrest Over the AP Test]'' {{Refend}} ==External links== * [http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html The College Board's AP website for students and parents] * [http://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap AP Student website] * [https://apscore.collegeboard.org/scores/about-ap-scores/score-distributions Score Distributions (most recent exam)] [[Category:Advanced Placement| ]] [[Category:Canadian educational programs]] [[Category:United States educational programs]] [[Category:School qualifications]] [[Category:Gifted education]] [[Category:High school course levels]] [[Category:Phillips Exeter Academy]] [[Category:Phillips Academy]] [[Category:Princeton University]] [[Category:Yale University]] [[Category:Harvard University]]'