Advanced Placement Night Menti Questions/Answers

Q: Why are we still giving the same bump for honors and AP classes?
A: This is a district led initiative. Each year, members of the district committee meet to
review/revise the AP procedures/guidelines.

Q: What is the average amount of time/effort you put in outside of class for honors, AP
and/or dual enrollment?
A: There are a lot of factors to consider (ex: course, student, student involvement in
extracurricular activities, semester schedule). Students do need to expect to spend
more time studying for honors/AP courses outside of class.

Q: How do you get to choose whether you take an ap class or an honors class, or is it
like middle school where you are chosen for honors?
A: For rising 9th graders, student data is evaluated to determine honors placement
(there are no AP classes for 9th graders). 9th grade students and parents have the
option to opt into an honors class if they don’t meet the data qualification and there are
open seats in the course. For rising 10th-12th graders, teachers can recommend a
student to be in an honors/AP course. In addition, students and parents can request to
be in an honors class. For students and parents to override into an AP class without a
teacher recommendation, they must meet the data requirements listed in the eligibility
criteria (linked in the presentation).

Q: Will the teachers express the student expectations at the beginning ? I.e. practice,
reading, completing the work even if not for a grade, etc?
A: Yes, they talk about it at the beginning of the course and most of them send home
their expectations to parents as well.

Q: How are teachers managing the class pacing with the block schedule?
A: The College Board gives guidelines for teachers who are on the block schedule
(many schools across the nation use this form of scheduling). However, it is important
that AP students work outside of class in order to be successful on the AP exam.

Q: What is the process to receive the foreign language pathway, meaning receiving the
cords for having completed three courses in the same foreign language?
A: At this time, for Bulloch County Schools, we do not give Honor Cords for World
Languages Pathway completers. Although we do not give a cord or recognize at Honors
Night, it is something that your student can add to their resume, college essays, etc.
Please visit this website to learn about World Language Pathways for Georgia.

 

Q: Why is the 100 extra points not being added to the GAVs AP classes, especially
when it is out the student's control on taking the class in person. (Class not offered or
schedule conflicts)?
A: Students who take an AP course through GaVS will not receive the 100 AP Exam
Incentive score. GaVS teachers are not on our campus and therefore the gradebook
cannot be adjusted for that class. They submit final grades to add to a student’s
transcript, much like a dual enrollment course.

Q: I'm the future can you show a schedule with honors heavy or AP classes? Like a 4
year plan.
A: There are so many different options for a 4 year plan. Please schedule an
appointment with your School Counselor to map out your students' 4 year plan.

Q: Can students take an honors class in the fall and the corresponding AP class the
following spring?
A: If the master schedule and the student’s schedule allows, they can.

Q: If the student takes a class via GAVS why must it be done on campus?
A: The student is registered for the course through SHS and therefore is provided a lab
to complete their course work.

Q: Can students prepare a 4 year plan?
A: Yes! They will do this with their School Counselor.

Q: Why did the night focus mainly on AP classes and not honors?
A: We do apologize if it was not informational to you. We will try to incorporate more
information about honors courses in the future. Please feel free to email us with any
suggestions and be sure to refer to slide 15 on the presentation with specific information
for each honors class.

Q: How does the school deal with students in AP classes that are slowing down the
pacing and may not be qualified for the class?
A: Please reach out to the specific teacher if this is occurring, teachers sometimes need
to adjust their pacing based on the majority of the class.

Q: How is our school implementing the new state advanced academic pathways?
A: At this time, for Bulloch County Schools, we do not give Honor Cords for Academic
Pathway completers. Although we do not give a cord or recognize at Honors Night, it is
something that your student can add to their resume, college essays, etc. Please visit
this website to learn about Academic Pathways for Georgia.

 

Q: Is there anything my incoming freshmen needs to prepare for now besides honors
courses to plan and be ready for AP and dual enrollment (not classroom
specific...planning specific)?
A: More information will come at the rising 9th grade orientation in the Spring.

Q: AP review sessions in the spring, often conflict with practice and game schedules.
Can this be worked out?
A: Unfortunately, with the amount of practices and games that occur in the spring, and
with teacher’s busy schedules, it would be near impossible to find a date for all classes
where the review sessions would work for everyone. We would suggest keeping in
touch with the teacher to get the review materials. Also, their Google Classroom and AP
Classroom are great resources.

Q: Do you take both the honors and AP course in the same subject?
A: Depends on the subject. More information can be found on the Prerequisites link in
the Presentation. If you have additional questions, your School Counselor can speak
more about this when planning your child’s courses.

Q: Are you going to recognize all the students that earned AP honors distinctions at
honors night?
A: At Honors Night, for College Board, we ONLY recognize National Merit Scholarship
Program Recipients, Finalists and Letter of Commendation students. These are very
prestigious recognitions due to very high PSAT scores taken by 11th Grade Students.
At Honors Night, we do not recognize students in the following National Recognition
Programs through Big Future/College Board: AP Scholar, African American Award,
Rural and Small Town Recognition Award, School Recognition Award, First Generation
Recognition, etc, because of the large number of our students that qualify. In each of
these other areas, we average between 20-40 students each year with some being over
40 students. Again, this is another area that your student can highlight themselves on
their resume, college essay, etc. because it is representative of their hard work!