Posted this on the Highschool forum as well. On another thread we were discussing having our AP syllabus approved by the college board, and a thought came to mind. Last year my daughter and her friends developed a website designed to support other homeschooling teens who were taking AP's or other college level courses. It is meant to support each other by sharing information (books, videos, etc), asking questions and supporting each other through the process. I've asked her if they would have a section for Moms so that we could also connect. Here is the write up that they put together, the website can be found at the end of the write up -- Hope many of the AP teens will join! Announcing STUDI (Students Throughly Understanding Difficult Ideas), a new, online resource designed for homeschoolers by homeschoolers. We created STUDI when, as homeschoolers, we realized we lacked a network to reach out and provide each other with support and a method to share our ideas, knowledge, and resources when taking advanced and AP® courses. Advanced tests are important to homeschoolers. A good score on a SAT II or AP® exam, for example, validates academic performance in the eyes of a college admissions officer. It’s very useful to prepare thoroughly for them, but this is easier said than done. If you can’t find good study materials, or have questions that nobody you know can answer, studying becomes a miserable chore. Thus, STUDI was born, providing homeschoolers with the ability to network together and create a worldwide community. STUDI provides: Lists of user-rated educational materials, including: Textbooks, online and hard copy Videos, online or DVD Courses, online and correspondence Support Forums, where students can both ask questions and answer them Soon to come weekly tips! A thriving community to participate in the forums Take a look at STUDI (https://sites.google.com/site/apstudi/home) today to see what you can discover! Whether you are taking an online AP® course, or self studying, STUDI can be a network filled with resources and a community of support for you.

On another thread we were discussing having our AP syllabus approved by the college board, and a thought came to mind. Last year my daughter and her friends developed a website designed to support other homeschooling teens who were taking AP's or other college level courses. It is meant to support each other by sharing information (books, videos, etc), asking questions and supporting each other through the process. I've asked her if they would have a section for Moms so that we could also connect. Here is the write up that they put together, the website can be found at the end of the write up -- Hope many of the AP teens will join! Announcing STUDI (Students Throughly Understanding Difficult Ideas), a new, online resource designed for homeschoolers by homeschoolers. We created STUDI when, as homeschoolers, we realized we lacked a network to reach out and provide each other with support and a method to share our ideas, knowledge, and resources when taking advanced and AP® courses. Advanced tests are important to homeschoolers. A good score on a SAT II or AP® exam, for example, validates academic performance in the eyes of a college admissions officer. It’s very useful to prepare thoroughly for them, but this is easier said than done. If you can’t find good study materials, or have questions that nobody you know can answer, studying becomes a miserable chore. Thus, STUDI was born, providing homeschoolers with the ability to network together and create a worldwide community. STUDI provides: Lists of user-rated educational materials, including: Textbooks, online and hard copy Videos, online or DVD Courses, online and correspondence Support Forums, where students can both ask questions and answer them Soon to come weekly tips! A thriving community to participate in the forums Take a look at STUDI (https://sites.google.com/site/apstudi/home) today to see what you can discover! Whether you are taking an online AP® course, or self studying, STUDI can be a network filled with resources and a community of support for you.

Thought this might be of interest to some - My daughter and her friends had set up a website last year for kids taking AP's. It is a website that is designed to share information (books, videos, etc) that they are using, to ask questions and to support one another during the AP process. AP's are so much easier (and more fun) when you have a group who is tackling the same subject you are! I am hoping that they will add a very specific sections for us Mom's :0) I will post the website and the information on this board in a new thread. Deb

Strange as it may be, it is that simple. You just need to cover all the materials that they would like to see. I have seen some sample syllabi on the audit page that did contain assignment work and some that did not. I choose to put mine on - because that makes it easier for me. It is all laid out and I can move along the school year easily. Do what works best for you - the best syllabus is the one that you'll enjoy working with!

We are thinking (98% sure) that we'll be doing this for this up coming year. I'll be putting my syllabus together this summer. If your interested I can send it to you then.

No, nothing at all. I keep a copy of the letter that they email out giving the approval and put it into my child's folder. There are add on things on the collegeboard site like specific boards that have running questions/answers/discussions. They are very helpful. If you want to renew your AP approval status - you'll have to do that each year. It is VERY easy - just a button asking to renew the approval for another year. Deb

Private message me with your email address and I'll send it to you. I don't know how to attach things on this website. Deb

I've had AP Micro and Macro as well as AP Physics approved. If you think of it as just planning out your lesson plan it becomes much easier. I first look at what texts the college board suggests for the course. Research those and other texts. Make a text selection. Then using that text I create a syllabus exactly like I would create a lesson plan. I plan out my weeks and which chapters I want to cover. Example: Week one: Chapter #- topic - here is what we will be covering - list of assignments, and any extras like watching a video that goes along with the chapter, any assigned projects for that chapter. I follow the same pattern for each week/chapter. I typically will assign some sort of report or project at the end to be worked on after the AP exam and will list that at the end of the syllabus. Next, I pull out the collegeboard's list of what will be covered on the AP exam for that course and I place check marks on my syllabus to ensure that I have covered everything that they have listed. Finally, I list all the texts, magazines, video, websites that we will be using in class. Then I just send it in! Doing this works out great for us because I have a plan all laid out that ensures we stay on track and hit every topic that we need to. Hope that helps. Deb

Thank you, this was wonderful! Deb in NJ

This year I've been using the Expedition Earth for my 8 (almost 9) year old and a friend's 10 year old. I would use the USA Road trip for your 5 year old. It is closer to home -- and maybe you could take a short "real" road trip. That would make it really come alive. Deb in NJ

Allons Au-Dela is sold by Pearson. It is a highschool AP level text with audio. They just opened it up so that homeschoolers can purchase this. It incorporates all the new material that the College Board set for AP French. Deb in NJ

We've used Write-at-home. They have year long classes, but they also have workshops that last about 8 or 9 weeks. My daughter really enjoyed them and her writing skills improved greatly. Deb

I don't know about Debra Bell's classes, but I did want to mention that Mrs. Inspector's AP Lang and Comp class (PA homeschoolers) is a GREAT well planned class. My daughter is enrolled now and is enjoying it.

That was a wonderful story. You should be very proud of you and your son! Thank you for posting and sharing this with us. Deb

Melissa, Yeah! It must feel great to be all ready to go! Would you share the three forms that helped you? Thanks! Deb

I don't know how to attach things on this board, but if you PM me and send me your email address I can send it to you. I have a grid that I made before her freshman year that helped me plot out all 4 years. That was a big help when I sat down to do her transcripts. Working off of Kareni's transcript format - made everything so much easier. Deb

Thanks everyone! It is nice to have some place to go that we can share openly. Deb

Thanks everyone! The requirements are a bit detailed so I'll post the website it is: www.sas.upenn.edu/lps/highschool/scholars And a BIG thank you to Kareni who posted her transcript and to Sue at St Pete who sent me another copy of it when I misplaced mine :0) What we did and sent in: Transcript - I used Kareni's format ideas but changed it to read by year. I did as she did and put on her test scores, activities and volunteer work right on the same page. Since I have all 4 years of HS laid out for her already, I included what she will be taking Jr and Sr year (she is a rising Jr). Tests -I sent them all the test scores (AP, PSAT - copies and direct from Collegeboard) and gave them copies of National tests from Latin and French, I also included (but was not required) copies of her IOWA scores and CoGAT scores, and her reading list (she is an extensive reader and her reading list is impressive). Letters - She needed to have two letters of recommendation. One she got from the Prof at Penn. This summer she has been shadowing him and his students in the Lab. He was the one who suggested she take classes now. :0) The other letter came from her French tutor. Essays - she had to write 4 essays to send in. It was a whirwind getting it all together so quickly - I didn't think I would have to get a transcript together until next year. I'm so happy that before her 9th grade year I had prepared a grid which laid out her 4 years of highschool. The information was there - but formatting it to look good and fit all the information took a long time. Now I know for the next child to have that format done and complete in 9th grade and just fill in as I go! Let me know if you have any other questions! :) Deb

I'm just so excited!!! My daughter was just accepted into University of Penn's Young Scholar Program! I am excited, happy and hyperventilating all at the same time :0) Thanks for letting me share:)! Deb

Thanks everyone. This information was very helpful and got me checking it out in all the right places! I went on the website of the college that I like the most (her second choice - or third choice, don't recall) and they don't take college courses only AP's! I didn't check out her first choice because she is going to take the class at that college - so I'm sure they will take their own class....... or maybe I should check that out for sure! Best bet is to just have her take the AP! I'm so happy that she likes taking tests! Thanks for your help! Deb

Just wondering if your child takes a college class - do they still have to take the AP exam on that subject - or the SAT subject tests? Or is the college class enough? Thanks. Deb

Praying....

Laura, Yes, I looked at them. Do you know if they would be on an AP Physics level? The person I talked to couldn't tell me. They do have an AP kit - but it doesn't come with the manual .... and I need the manual :0) Thanks for your help... I've been at this for weeks now - ugh. Deb

Has anyone used Bob Jones Physics Lab Manual for their AP Physics? I am having a hard time trying to find an AP Physics Lab Manual that has an affordable lab kit. Any suggestions other than BJU? Thanks. Deb

Does anyone know of a book that would contain AP Physic lab experiments? I tried to search for the Julicher but it is out of print. Any suggestions? Thanks. Deb