By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
There is a plaque in the Atrium at Burlington High School, one of many that feature the academic standouts at the school.
This one, which highlights the school’s AP scholars, had 21 new names added to it recently.
Those 21 students had to receive a score of three or higher on three or more Advanced Placement exams, with various honors and distinctions added the higher the scores and the more tests taken.
That kind of performance – and the rise in students taking the higher-rigor AP classes – is exactly what BHS Principal Eric Burling is looking for.
“AP is not for everyone,” he cautioned. “But I think we can encourage kids that this will allow them to be college and career ready.
“It gives the kids a flavor of what the next level might be like, without taking a youth options class, necessarily.”
BHS offers 13 different advanced-placement classes, some offered every year, and others offered every other year. Classes include calculus, English Literature and Composition and English Language and Composition, Physics, Psychology, Music Theory, European History, U.S. History and the like.
In the 2012-2013 school year, 227 AP exams were taken by 139 different students. That was an improvement from the 2011-12 school year, where 182 tests were taken by 115 students.
Not all students who take AP classes will take the exams. For one, each test costs $75 (though there are procedures to help in cases of financial need), and students must score a minimum grade (depending on the college or university) to get college credit for the class.
What’s more, not all colleges accept the AP exam procedure for college credit.
“Some kids are taking (the class) just for the rigor,” said Burling, who added that he would guess more than half of the BHS students who take the AP tests sit for the exams. “Some kids don’t take it because they know it won’t transfer in.”
Those who want to take the test, though, are given plenty of preparation through mock exams and the like.
The students aren’t the only ones putting in the time, either. According to Burling, teachers put in what he calls “off-season training,” going to seminars and workshops in order to be prepared to teach the course.
And teaching the course involves following a strict curriculum.
“You have to teach the curriculums for the kids to do well on the test,” Burling said.
But, as he stressed Tuesday, it’s about more than taking an AP exam and possibly getting college credits before setting foot on campus. The classes also ask students to up their technical reading level and writing skills, and prepare to take that next step.
“There’s some good opportunities,” Burling said.
Burlington High School
2013 AP Scholars
AP Scholars
John Hammit, Mason Hawes, Riley Hornickle, Mathew Lunsmann, Kara Pulchinski, Kaysie Shebeneck, Emily Sibilski, Robert Whitehead, Marah Zinnen.
AP Scholars with Honors
Evan Czysz, James Hartzell, Caroline Kerr, Serena Wanasek, Dana Wieners, Hannah Wills.
AP Scholars with Distinction
Jordan Hintz, Austin Hough, Eli King, Theresa Lavieri, Daniel Levandoski, Zach Wawrzyniakowski.
Categories
AP Scholar – students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.
AP Scholar with Honors – students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of the exams.
AP Scholar with Distinction – students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, with a score of 3 or more on five or more exams.
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