• Only two weeks remain for Tahoma High students to take advantage of the inexpensive college credit available through the College Board’s Advanced Placement program. The A.P. program allows students to take a test to demonstrate their knowledge in one of 37 courses including Biology, U.S. History, Psychology, Statistics, Computer Science A or AB, European History, English Language, English Literature, Calculus AB or BC, Government, Environmental Science, Physics B, Studio Art: Drawing, Studio Art: 2D, and Studio Art: 3D. Cost of each test is $86, and students earning a 3, 4, or 5 (on a 5-point scale) on the test may earn waivers for courses and as many as nine university credits, depending on their university. These A.P. credits are accepted at the majority of the nation’s colleges and universities and also facilitate college admissions to competitive schools.
Students may take more than one exam. Students all over the world earn as much as a full year’s college credit before even leaving their high school setting. While an A.P. class improves the student’s chances of passing the exam, an A.P. class is not a prerequisite for an exam.
While $86 may seem costly in this struggling economy, it is a very economical option when one considers that tuition ranges from $100 to $1000 per credit, not including room and board, living expenses, and transportation, let alone the time and energy one must invest in college classes. Thus, the money saved is the equivalent of giving yourself a scholarship.
AP students have been given letters explaining the testing, along with a registration form. The registration form and money are due to the Tahoma High School cashier on or before March 19. Financial aid is available for those students on free/reduced lunch. Questions should be directed to the student’s A.P. teacher or to Brooke Dillon, A.P. coordinator, bdillon@tahomasd.us or (425) 413-6245.
• At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, Tahoma High will host college credit in the high school night for interested students and parents. The information presented will be helpful for students currently in grades 8 throught 11, allowing better planning with four-year schedules and to be aware of the many ways that students can earn college credit during their high school years. After a general opening session, mini-workshops will be held on topics including advanced placement classes, University of Washington credit classes, Tech Prep and Running Start.
Questions should be directed to Brooke Dillon, bdillon@tahomasd.us, (425) 413-6245.
Information submitted by the Tahoma School District.
