Advanced Placement

The Advanced Placement Program is designed to provide motivated high school students with post-secondary-level academic courses.

For more information, please contact Austin O’Brien’s AP Coordinator, Bryn Jonzon, at: (780) 466-3161 or [email protected]

AP Open House Tuesday February 20,2024 at 6:30PM in the AOB Library

Benefits of taking Advanced Placement courses

Students gain improved study habits, exam-writing experience, and time management skills.

Many universities and colleges will use the HIGHER of either the AP exam score or course grade for admission.

After successful completion, students may receive transfer credit at either the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, and many other Universities.

Advanced Placement Opportunities at Austin O’Brien

In-class courses include:

• AP English Literature and Composition

• AP Calculus

• AP Statistics

• AP Biology

• AP Psychology

• AP Physics

• AP Computing Science Principles

• AP Seminar

Awards

A scholarship of $500 will be given to AP Scholars (students who earn a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams throughout their high school career)

Addressing Misconceptions Surrounding Advanced Placement Courses

One of the most common misconceptions amongst students and their parents is that student marks will be lower because AP classes are harder; however, AP courses are structured so that the students are always at an advantage.

• The AP exam score cannot lower a student's grade; it can only raise a student's grade.

• For content-based courses like Math or Science, exam questions that are outside of the Alberta Program of Studies are kept separate and are not factored into the mark that will appear on the student’s transcript.

• For skill-based writing courses, such as English, students are graded according to the rubrics established by Alberta Education. Even though the literature studied is at an advanced level, the assessment is at grade level. If students do assignments specific to the content on the AP English Literature and Composition Exam, they are assessed and receive feedback, but the scores are not included as part of their English 30 course grade.

• Advanced Placement is not a program that is strictly for the “academic elite.” i.e. those with 80% and above averages. Determination for placement into the Advanced Placement program should be based on enthusiasm for learning and interest in the subject area.

Advanced Placement at the University of Alberta

Additional Information

For more information, please contact Austin O’Brien’s AP Coordinator, Bryn Jonzon, at: (780) 466-3161 or [email protected]

For further information about the AP:

• Government of Alberta - AP/IB Program Information

• MacEwan University- MacEwan AP Program Info

• U of A - U of A - AP Program Info

The Advanced Placement Program is designed to provide motivated high school students with post-secondary-level academic courses. This rigorous academic program offers students a head start in successfully navigating academic challenges they will encounter at post-secondary schools. Based on their performance on AP examinations, students can earn credit, advanced placement, or both, for university and college courses. Students' achievements in AP courses are celebrated with course credit, College Board awards, and scholarships from most universities including the University of Alberta.