The Advanced Placement Program (AP)
AP’s Value As An Admission Qualification within Higher Education in Europe & Beyond
TAICEP 2017 Agenda • College Board, SAT & Advanced Placement
• Exploring usage in Europe
• John Cabot University and American University of Rome
• Panel Discussion
• Audience Questions
2 Introductions Jessica York – International Admissions Counselor, The American University of Rome since 2014. She previously worked as university counselor and teacher of modern foreign languages at international schools in the UK, Thailand and Germany and studied at the University of Sussex and University of Bologna.
Danette Anderson – Director of Admissions Operations at John Cabot University. She has been at John Cabot since 2003 and working in higher education for over 25 years in the US, Italy, UK and Bahrain.
Russell Dover – Director of International Higher Education at The College Board. Previously worked in international graduate admissions at Seton Hall University, and was a member of the Board of Undergraduate Admissions at Boston University.
3 Background History Why was The College Board founded?
Founded at Columbia University in 1899, by representatives of nine leading universities and three secondary schools, with a goal to make higher educational entrance policies less regional, to discover educational excellence and expand equity and access to US higher education
Who is The College Board today?
Not-for-profit organization with 6000+ members in over 50 countries, spanning middle schools, secondary schools, and higher education. Our programs continue to focus on promoting excellence, equity, and access in education through our programs themselves, as well as research and advocacy efforts
5 Our Work Today • Develop curricula with multi-year readiness assessments leading to standardized examinations for undergraduate admissions process
• Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students across 185 countries and territories to prepare for a successful transition to higher education
• Programs and services in university readiness and success — including SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program ®
• Serves Students, Educators, and Higher Education through: Focused, clear and useful assessments that reflect what students are learning and what they need for success in university Free, personalized, focused practice resources for all students Higher education opportunity through free access to materials, research, scholarships and university advanced standing with AP credit
• We also have enrollment solutions for universities, including sophisticated right-fit recruitment and enrollment planning tools, as well as financial need assessments of applicants/families 6 SAT What: Evidence-based Reading and Writing, plus Mathematics Focus on what research shows are essential skills for success in tertiary education & career readiness - Designed for students • Source analysis and use of evidence across widely diverging • Analysis of data and informational graphics alongside text curricula • Effective written expression • Math content that matters most and applied in context - Millions of exams taken
each year in 185 countries and territories Command of Essay Analyzing Math that Matters Words in Context - Three hours, plus Evidence a Source Most additional optional Essay
- Since 1926 Analysis in Problems in Documents and Science and in No Penalty for Real-World the Great Global History/Social Guessing Contexts Conversation Studies 7 SAT Subject Tests 20 courses, including the following domains:
Literature, Languages, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Math 1 (algebra and geometry) and Math 2 (trigonometry and precalculus functions), - Designed to assess History achievement in high school courses for Each test is one hour in length admissions purposes In practice, SAT Subject Test results are often used in conjunction with the SAT Reasoning and/or A.P. exams to assess promise and - Offered in most countries, preparation for the university course of study, by placing high but global reach and school marks in standardized context volume not as pervasive and extensive as the SAT itself
- Since 1937
8 Advanced • Flexible curriculum allows teachers and students to Placement choose from 38 one-year university-level courses.
- Curricular offering with an Courses cover World Languages, Calculus, Statistics, optional course exam Physics, Biology, Environmental Science, History, Art, Music, Literature, Computer Science, Psychology, Comparative Government, Geography, English - Designed to replicate Composition, Economics initial year of university study AP Capstone covers research design and seminar-style multi-disciplinary analysis of a topic
- Approx 2.6 MM Emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, analysis, and exams/year intercultural skills
- 22,000 secondary schools Tests 2-3 hours each and typically include both free- response and multiple-choice questions in 126 countries and
territories offer the curriculum • AP measures content, concepts and skills related to specific disciplines.
9
How are they used in Europe? SAT
Aalto University, Finland
• Used to determine offer of admission in conjuction with the marks/grades received in coursework from national Finnish Matriculation Exam, IB Diploma, European Baccaureate Diploma, or Reifeprüfung Diploma SAT
Università di Bologna, Italy
• Uses SAT as an aptitude and skills test to idenify top international students for study grants/merit scholarships SAT, SAT Subjects, AP
Kings College London, UK
• Request SAT Subject Tests and/or AP exams comparable to A-Levels • Request general SAT in addition, and encourage Essay submission AP
Ghent University, Belgium
• Used to determine offer of admission in conjuction high school diploma • Minimum of 4 APs required for direct admission AP
Manchester University, UK
• Credit and placement usage • Passing scores on APs to demonstrate accomplishment in equivalent university courses • AP Exams: • Trends: (based on incoming class of Fall 2016) • Award credits for each exam score with a 3 or above. • 16% of students transferred in AP • For a score of 3: 3 credits will be credits. We have experienced a huge awarded • Background: Founded in 1969, The increase in this year’s incoming class. American University of Rome is a liberal • For a score of 4-5: 6 credits will be • Most common subjects are AP English, arts university, located on the Janiculum awarded US History, Italian and European Hill. • For all advanced placement credits, no history (typically transfer in as General • Accreditation: Middle States Commission more than 30 credits in total can be Education courses). on Higher Education (www.msche.org) counted towards the degree. • AUR has launched a scholarship for • Focus: American degree blending the liberal high school students who have arts with career preparation and elements completed AP Italian and received a of the Italian/European classical tradition of • SAT: score of 5. Students get the chance to the humanities. attend a summer session. • AUR does not require SATs. Results • Academic Program: 3 master’s degree are optional and may be included to programs, 10 bachelor’s degree programs strengthen the application. with 16 concentrations and 23 minors, plus
a first-year program. • Student body: 500 students representing over forty countries. Approximately 28 languages spoken amongst students, faculty and staff.
16 John Cabot • AP Exams: • Trends: • Award 3 transfer credits for each exam • Not many AP exams from international University score with a 4 or above. students • 50% Increase of SAT exam submissions from 2015 to 2017. (8% of • John Cabot University is an official international applicants send in SAT APSI Center for AP Art History and scores). European History with over 110 teachers of AP trained at JCU to date. • SAT exams received from Eastern • Background: Founded in 1972, John Cabot Europe/Eurasia, Latin America and University is an American liberal arts university located in the heart of Rome, Italy Middle East and very few from Western • SAT: and Northern Europe.
• 85% test takers that submit an • Accreditation: Middle States Commission on application to JCU attend a private or Higher Education (www.msche.org) • Test optional for students studying international school. outside the U.S. Mandatory for students within the US • Urban Campus: Trastevere neighborhood in the historic center of Rome, Italy located between the Colosseum and the Vatican. • Minimum new SAT score is 1050 with recommended scores of 560 in • Student body: 1,320 students from 70 countries Evidence Based Reading and Writing with matriculating and study abroad students. and 490 in Math.
17 Panel Discussion Questions Other than the US, where else do you see students using these exam results in their applications?
Does it make any difference to you where a student is from in terms of whether they submit SATs/APs?
Do you ever find students that have a mixed set of credentials, such as an IB or EB diploma plus APs?
How do you compare AP to other European system credentials, such IB, A-Levels, Maturità, etc?
19 Open Questions Please feel free to ask questions
20 Thank You