St. Cloud High School

The Advanced Placement Scholars Program (APS) will provide a variety of College Preparatory courses, the AP courses. This program ensures that the student has the opportunity to achieve at an advanced level and is prepared for college. APS is part of the nationwide Advanced Placement Program, which is a College Board-sponsored partnership among high schools, colleges, and universities; Osceola School District utilizes this program to expose students to college-level materials, skills, and to provide opportunities to earn college credit by passing an AP subject examination. AP courses challenge students with a rigorous academic focus on content knowledge, analytical reasoning skills, and disciplined study habits. Students that demonstrate proficiencies in various academic aspects will be placed in the program accordingly.

The ability to earn recognition from College Board is as follows:

• Advanced Placement Scholar (AP Scholar): Granted to students who receive grades of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
• AP Scholar with Honor: Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
• AP Scholar with Distinction: Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
• AP State Scholar: Granted to one female and one male student in each U.S. state and the District of Columbia with grades of 3 or higher on the greatest number of exams (at least three exams), and then the highest average grade (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken.
• National AP Scholar: Granted to students in the United States who receive an average grade of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.

AP Capstone is a College Board program that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. AP Capcomprises two AP courses—AP Seminar and AP Research -and is designed to complement and enhance the discipline-specific study in other AP courses.

Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing receive the AP Capstone Diploma™. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™.