Introduction of AP
Canadian International School of Guangzhou
2024-04-07
In the upcoming school year, CIS is very proud to offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses to passionate CIS students seeking a level of challenge in areas of academic interest!
AP is considered a global standard for academic excellence. AP courses and exam grades are used in the admission process in almost than 4,000 universities and colleges in over 100 different countries. AP courses are offered as enrichment and extension of the Alberta curriculum in High School. In other words, AP courses complement the Alberta curriculum, and is not a subsitute. Achievement is assessed through AP Exams in May of each school year and may result in course exemption or credit at the university level.
In the 2024-25 school year, CIS is proud to offer AP Calculus and AP Physics, as two new course offerings. More subjects may be offered in the following years.
How Closely Aligned is the AP Program and the Alberta Curriculum?
In many courses like Calculus and Physics, the Alberta curriculum is very closely aligned with the Advanced Placement curriculum and there is very little variance. Advanced Placement covers the same Alberta curriculum as the -1 (dash one) stream, and students in AP courses write the same final exam as all CIS students in the -1 stream. As most AP students aspire to write the AP exams at the end of their program, AP courses may move at a faster pace. This gives our students the opportunity to delve further into content and learn additional AP curriculum topics that may be a bit different from the Alberta Education curriculum.
The assessments and standards of assessment are the same for an Advanced Placement class and a -1 Alberta class, as CIS only reports a final mark to Alberta Education based on our curriculum. Students in AP may have formative assessments simply to highlight their achievement on additional AP material, but these will not affect their overall summative assessments.
Why is CIS Offering Advanced Placement Courses?
Universities and colleges recognize scores on Advanced Placement exams and courses as potential replacement percentages over final grades for admission. By taking an AP course, you aren’t just distinguishing yourself in high school and in the college admissions process; you are also building the skills you’ll need throughout your college years. Since AP courses give you the opportunity to get your hands on real college-level work while still in high school, you’ll get a great idea of what to expect when you move onto the next phase of your educational journey.
From a university admissions perspective, AP courses offer admissions officers a consistent measure of course rigor across high schools, districts, states and countries — because all AP teachers, no matter where they’re teaching, have to provide a curriculum that meets college standards. So when admissions officers see “AP” on a transcript, they have a good understanding of what students have experienced in a particular class and how well it prepared them for the increased challenges of university.
More information about Advanced Placement is available at https://ap.collegeboard.org/
Which AP Courses are Offered at CIS?
For the 2024-25 school year, CIS will offer AP Calculus and AP Physics. AP courses build upon the current Alberta Curriculum Math 31 and Physics courses that CIS already provides, with additional enrichment. For example, AP Calculus closely aligns with Alberta Curriculum’s Math 31, which is the Calculus course that many of our CIS students already take. By the end of Grade 12, students enrolled in the two AP courses can complete the AP exams, which may result in course exemption or credit at the university level.
Will My Alberta Grade be Affected By Taking AP Courses?
Marks are reported as ‘dash-1 stream’ marks in the Alberta high school curriculum, which is fully consistent with what they would have received in a regular ‘dash-1 stream’ course. Generally, students can expect AP course work to enhance, not hinder, their overall progress. THERE WILL BE NO ADVERSE IMPACT ON YOUR MARKS FOR TAKING AP COURSES!
What are the Costs for the AP Program?
There are no additional fees for taking the AP program – students are automatically provided with all necessary materials required to complete their coursework. However, there is one additional exam, of which AP students are responsible for paying for. To reiterate, AP students are responsible for all examination costs, and students may wish to purchase their own textbooks in order to build their own personal library of materials.
Who Can Take AP Courses at CIS?
Generally, a grade of 80+% or proficient to mastery in a prerequisite course and teacher recommendation is required for CIS students who wish to take an AP course. However, students not possessing a grade of 80% or proficient to mastery are encouraged to apply and may be accepted depending on the strength of student application and teacher recommendation.
To be successful, a CIS student must:
-Enjoy a challenge!
-Have a well-developed work ethic and be an Independent learner
-Be self-disciplined and self-motivated
-Have a deep desire for academic excellence, and enjoy learning
Contact us
If you have any questions or would like more information about the new AP program in the upcoming school year, please talk to our friendly leadership and admissions team. We’re excited to welcome you to CIS. Join us now!
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