Schools

How Important are AP Courses for College Admissions?

A Stanford educator and the Director of Curriculum and Assessment for the San Mateo Union High School District weigh in on the classes.

This month, students around the state are participating in STAR testing.  Next month, many students will take Advanced Placement exams in the hope that a good score will help with their college admissions.

Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, examined the importance of AP exams in a new research paper that reviews more than 20 studies on AP courses.  Pope was interviewed by the Stanford News Service about her findings.

Below is a list of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes offered at San Mateo Union High School District schools.  However, parents and students shouldn’t put all their faith in a good AP test score when applying for college.

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“That might not be the deciding factor for college admission,” said Cynthia Clark,  Director of Curriculum and Assessment for the San Mateo Union High School District. 

Parents, are you encouraging your kids to take as many AP classes as they can?  Why or why not?  Tell us in comments.

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2011-12 ADVANCED PLACEMENT and IB COURSE OFFERINGS

ARAGON

BURLINGAME

CAPUCHINO

HILLSDALE

MILLS

SAN MATEO

Biology

Biology

IB-English HL 1-4

Biology

Biology

Biology

Calculus AB

Calculus AB

IB-French B SL 1-4

Calculus AB

Calculus AB

Calculus AB

Calculus BC

Chemistry

IB-Spanish B SL/HL 1-4

Calculus BC

Calculus BC

Calculus BC

Chemistry

Econ Micro

IB-His. Americas HL 1-4

Chemistry

Chemistry

Chemistry

Chinese Lang & Culture

Econ Macro

IB -Biology SL/HL 1-4

Chinese Lang & Culture

Econ Macro

Econ Macro

Eng Lang & Comp

Eng Lang & Comp

IB-Math Studies SL 1-4

Eng Lang & Comp

Eng Lit & Comp

Eng Lang & Comp

Eng Lit & Comp

Eng Lit & Comp

IB-Mathematics SL 1-4

Eng Lit & Comp

Gov & Politics US

Eng Lit & Comp

Environ Science

Environ Science

IB-Dance SL/HL 1-4

Environ Science

Japanese Lang & Culture

Environ Science

Gov & Politics US

Italian

IB-Film SL/HL 1-4

Gov & Politics US

Chinese Lang & Culture

European Hist

Japanese Lang & Culture

Gov & Politics US

IB-Theatre SL/HL 1-4

Music Theory

Physics B

French

Music Theory

Music Theory

IB-Theory of Knowledge

Physics B

Spanish

Gov & Politics US

Psychology

Physics B

IB-Visual Arts SL/HL 1-4

Spanish

Statistics

Spanish AP

Physics B&C

Spanish

 

Studio Art:Drawing

Studio Art:Drawing

Statistics

Spanish

Statistics

 

Studio Art: 2D

US History

Studio Art: Drawing

Statistics

US History

 

US History

 

Studio Art: 2D

Studio Art: 2-D Design

 

 

 

 

US History

3-D Art

 

 

 

 

 

US History

 

 

 

 

 

IB = International Baccalaureate

HL = Higher Level

   SL = Standard Level

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