In the past FC’s Advanced Placement (AP) scores surpassed those of local public high schools. In the 2011-’12 school year a total of 66 students enrolled in campus AP classes in hopes of earning college credits.
AP courses offer students the opportunity to earn college credits in return for the significant work load and challenging assignments. The students prepare all year for the final exam which determines whether they earn the credits or not.
The exams are administered in May of each year by the College Board. The students receive a score, one to five, where anything above a three is considered passing.
AP English Language and Composition and AP Literature and Composition teacher Molly Sargent believes offering AP courses is necessary to meet the needs of all students.
“If Fresno Christian is going to graduate students who are academically excellent we need an excellerated academic program,” Sargent said. “The AP program is the only way we can meet the needs of the average student, below average student and slightly above average student.”
Senior McKay Mohun took AP Literature and Composition last year but decided not to take an AP class again this year.
“I took AP last year because I wanted to challenge myself and take a riggorous college course,” Mohun said. “But this year I decided to take the regular English class because it seemed both challenging and fun. So, I wanted to try it out.”
Although the exam scores for public schools in the 2010-’12 school year have not been released, statistics from previous years will provide insight on how FC performs against public schools. Of the 200 students in high school at FC, 30.1% of students took AP tests in the previous school year.
In previous years, FC’s pass rates have delivered higher scores than those of other public high schools. In the 2008-’09 school year, FC acheived a pass rate of 76.7%, while the state average was 56.7%, and Clovis Unified School District’s pass rate was 62.9% and all of Fresno County was 47.7%.
The campus courses offered for FC students are AP Literature and Composition, AP Language and Composition, AP United States History (APUSH), AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics. The pass rates form the 2011-’12 school year are as follows:
English and Language Composition: 3/3 passed 100% pass rate
English Literature and Composition: 21/26 passed 80.77% pass rate
US History: 6/10 passed 60% pass rate
Calculus AB: 7/13 passed 53.85% pass rate
Statistics: 12/13 passed 92.31% pass rate
Sophomore Jordan Castro took on the challenge of APUSH this year, in order to help him in college.
“My parents really thought that if I want to get in to certain colleges that AP is kind of the standard over there,” Castro said. “In the past I have taken regular classes and everything kind of comes naturally to me, I want to have to work for it.”
AP United States history teacher Jordana Siebert opens up about teaching an AP course during her first year at FC.
“It was really fun, although a lot of work,” Siebert said. “I really wanted the kids to do well, so I put a lot of time into preparing for the class. It was a bit overwhelming for everyone at times, but I loved it.”
Freshman Justin Houts has decided to take APUSH next year in the hopes of a good challenge.
“Im taking APUSH next year so I can earn college credits and get into a good school,” Houts said. “Im not nervous about AP, I think it will be difficult but I enjoy challenges.”
All the AP information is located on the College Board or the California Department of Education.
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