How does one go about getting a home course designated as AP???

[Robin in DFW]

My dd17 is desperately wanting to take AP Biology this year. She is also doing Physics this year, but is finding it fairly easy so feels she could add the additional science class.

 

She took Biology as a 9th grader. She didn't use the most challenging of texts (Walch Biology), but we supplemented with additional materials, labs, etc. to make it more thorough.

 

I found the College Board's syllabus for AP Biology, but there are no book suggestions. I also found UCOpenAccess. They have an AP Biology course free for the taking and suggest the Reece/Campbell book (c. 1999). The UC course does not have hands-on labs, but it appears these could easily be integrated using the College Board syllabus. I have almost everything needed for the labs already.

 

How does one go about getting their home taught course designated as AP? I know I've read about people doing this somewhere, but can't remember where.

 

HELP???

[Jane in NC]

To have a class designated as AP, one must submit a syllabus to the College Board for approval. I am not sure if you can still do that for the 10/11 school year.

 

That said, it seems to me that it is better to have your student take the AP test and let that score speak for itself. My son's biology course was not designated AP--I never went through the bureaucratic hoops--but I indicated his AP score on his transcript.

 

To take the AP test, you will need to find a high school in your community that is willing to offer your daughter a seat for the test. You will be responsible for payment.

[FloridaLisa]

I don't think it's too late to have your course designated as AP. Call CB's AP Central today and make sure. I found lots of text suggestions when looking at the suggested syllabi. You can also google for AP Biology course syllabus and you will get a bunch of hits that are really helpful in planing your class. Many teachers post their syllabus and resources online.

 

It is a bit time consuming to create an AP syllabus, but the approval took less than 5 minutes once I submitted. I was quite surprised, as I thought I'd be waiting for a few weeks. I was very meticulous to code my syllabus according to the course requirements, to list a college-level text and extra course readings and to follow the format of a suggested syllabus.

 

It will also be helpful to join the AP biology list-serve. It can be a wealth of information, a good resource for your newbie questions and a window into what's being done in other AP classrooms.

 

And while I don't think it's too late to have a syllabus approved for this year, your dd is up against a deadline for taking the AP test. Ideally, you want to be finished with AP coursework in April, leaving a month to study for the test. That would mean a big push to get through all of the material and leave some time to prepare for the exam.

 

Hope that helps!

Lisa

[Robin in DFW]

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