State to notify parents of students’ AP eligibility
High school students earn college credits with advancedplacement classes
Thousands of parents in Michigan with high school students can expect a letter soon explaining that their students qualify for advanced-placement courses to earn college credit while in high school.
The Michigan Department of Education has partnered with the College Board to use the Advanced Placement potential tool to identify students who are likely to score a 3 or higher on an AP exam, based on the student’s performance on the Spring 2022 Preliminary SAT 8/9 or PSAT 10.
Scoring a 3 or higher on an AP exam can qualify high school students to receive college credit while in high school.
“The letters to parents are a way to let them know students in their sophomore year can take these rigorous classes and may expand the number of students typically underrepresented in AP classes, ” said State Superintendent Michael Rice. “Getting into AP classes is another way economically disadvantaged students can improve chances of an academic scholarship.”
“This opportunity also supports students in earning college credit, which can help change a student’s sense of capability and life direction and reduce the cost of college,” he said
The College Board is a non-profit organization founded in 1900 that connects students to college opportunities through various programs and services such as PSAT and SAT test assessments.
The tool used by the College Board compares results from SAT Suite and AP exams It’s a more-efficient method than traditional factors such as high school grades and grades in same subject coursework.
“Secondary school principals are always looking to expand opportunities for students to earn college credit in high school,” said Wendy Zdeb, executive director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. “While there are many potential pathways, Advanced Placement coursework provides the opportunity for families to reduce the financial burden of post-secondary education.”
The College Board offers 38 AP courses in seven subject categories.
AP programs enable students to pursue collegelevel studies and take corresponding exams administered once a year in May.
In the 2021-22 school year, 15 percent of Michigan high school students enrolled in an AP course, according to the Department of Education.
“There are significant numbers of students who can succeed in AP without high PSAT scores,” said Rice. “We want our children to challenge themselves, with support from educators, and to reach for the highest level of education.”