Two classes of students at Fort Frances High School took Advanced Placement exams earlier in May in hopes of earning credit for a first-year university class before even leaving high school.
Eight students wrote the English literature and composition exam May 4 and nine wrote the chemistry one May 10.
Catherine Bruyere taught the Advanced Placement English class and said the program was very successful—especially given this was the first time it’s been offered in Fort Frances.
“It’s good for students interested in studying literature [at university] or even student who aren’t,” said Bruyere. “[Students] earn a university credit in English so that they don’t have to take an English class when they get there.”
Most university programs require at least one first-year English class.
Connie Schwartz, who taught the chemistry class, said she felt this was great experience for the students.
“The course went quite well and the students said it was a challenge,” she remarked. “It was an excellent opportunity [for them] to experience a university type course.”
The Advanced Placement program is a worldwide one run out of the United States that offers 35 courses in 20 different subjects areas.
Students write a standardized test, which then is graded on a scale of one to five. A score of three or higher is considered to qualify for a university credit.
By qualifying for a university credit, students have to opportunity to skip a first-year class at most universities in Canada and the United States.
Local students will find out in July how they scored.
Schwartz said the final proof of the success of these classes will be how well local students do when they go away to college next year.
Bruyere said they hope to run the English literature and composition class next year, but it is dependent on student interest. Both classes were allowed to run this year with such as small number of students because it was the first year this program was offered.
There currently are 11 students registered in the English course for next year and Bruyere said they would like a few more.
“Students and parents should be aware of the opportunity. Students get 30 extra hours of one-on-one attention,” she noted.
Another benefit is being able to earn a university credit without paying the tuition.
The course runs over both semesters of the school year. It requires more hours than a normal high school class, so students have to make up extra hours in lunch hour tutorials.
There currently are 525 high schools in Canada that offer the Advanced Placement program. Each university has a different policy for how it applies AP results to course credits.
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
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