SHS offers new AP seminar class

A new Advanced Placement (AP) class has been added to Solon High School’s curriculum for the 2016-17 school year. This College Board course, AP Seminar, is designed to be tailored to your interests as you pick a real-world topic to investigate.

This new course is a two-year curriculum that falls under the AP Capstone program; the first year is AP Seminar followed the next year by AP Research. The AP Capstone program focuses on independent research, collaborative work and communication skills. AP Seminar is a class where students choose a real-world issue to investigate and explore through multiple perspectives. In AP Research, students use the skills they just gained to independently research and defend a question.

Students will receive an AP Capstone Diploma by completing both courses and receiving a score of at least a three on both of these AP tests and on four additional AP tests. This new diploma shows college readiness as it points out outstanding academic and research skills. If students earn a three or higher on the AP Seminar and AP Research tests, but not on an additional four tests, students can still receive an AP Capstone Certificate.

SHS principal Erin Short explained that Solon brought this new AP program to the school to give students a more rigorous curriculum.

“We are always looking for ways to advance our AP program to afford our students an opportunity to challenge themselves,” Short said. “Capstone is one of the newest courses that College Board is coming out with.”

While most classes at high schools focus on content of a certain subject, AP Seminar differs as individual students get to research topics that they are passionate about. Students select a real-world issue and investigate it through different points of view in order to develop evidence-based arguments. This unique class gives students a break from classes that strictly focus on classic literature or European history and lets students have a choice of what they learn.

“This is an opportunity to take a college level course and really practice college [level] skills,” assistant principal Terry Brownlow said.

One major difference in this class is the end of the year AP test. The assessment is separated into three categories: team project and presentation, individual research-based essay and presentation and finally a three hour end of course exam which consists of three short answers and two essay questions. The AP Seminar instructor is responsible for grading the first two categories of the assessment .

The teacher for Solon’s AP Seminar class has not been decided yet.

While this class lets students pick an individual topic, it will still be a challenging AP class, explained Brownlow.

“If you’re a good solid reader and writer and this interests you and you’re willing to put in the work, you’re going to be fine,” Brownlow said.

Considering college credit, it will be up to each individual college to determine what subject counts for college credit. As for high school credits, the course will count as an elective. Taking AP Research following AP Seminar is not necessary, so even juniors are able to take it.

Many students look forward to taking this class, including junior Zack Singer. He explains that personal choice is something that draws him, and fellow students, to this new class.

“This class really interests me,” Singer said. “I think it could be a good course that will prepare me for college and life after college.”

Short explained that this class is great for students who really have a passion about a particular issue. Although Solon still has a lot to learn about this new program, the administration hopes that over the years it will grow into a common class for students.

“It’s a really great opportunity for our kids and for Solon High School,” Short said.
“College Board and the AP program have recognized us as a school that has the level of students and educators to support this program.”