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Advanced Placement® (AP®) Courses, grades 10 - 12
“Advanced Placement is not for the elite, but for the well prepared.”
Advanced Placement (AP) programs are designed to give students an opportunity to challenge themselves academically, to set themselves apart from other college applicants, and to earn college credit with a successful score on the AP exam. AP classes at Smyrna High School provide an opportunity to do advanced course work with the safety and security of a high school setting. To achieve this, all AP courses must be aligned to the standards, assessments, and pace set by the College Board. Students who are successful on the AP exam, will have the opportunity to skip introductory level college requirements and take more classes directly related to their major of choice. Whether or not students are successful on the AP exam, the paramount goal, is that all students who take an AP class feel well prepared for college level material and possess the necessary skills to be successful in the next level of their education.
AP courses are taught by highly qualified College Board approved high school teachers who expect their students to think critically, analyze and synthesize facts and data, weigh competing perspectives, and write clearly and persuasively.
AP Exam
At the end of course, students have the opportunity to earn college credit and/or placement into advanced courses in college by taking the AP Exam at a cost of $94 per exam. AP Exams are standardized exams that measure how well students have mastered college-level course work. For information about AP exam scores, credit, and placement policies at many colleges and universities is available at www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy.
The AP Exams will be administered over two weeks in May. For information about your specific exam(s) visit: AP Exam Schedule.
Current Advanced Placement Courses (2022-2023)
- AP Biology
- AP Calculus
- AP Chemistry
- AP Computer Science A
- AP Computer Science Principles
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature and Composition
- AP Environmental Science
- AP Psychology
- AP Spanish Language
- AP Statistics
- AP Studio Art - 2D, 3D, Drawing
- AP U.S. Government and Politics
- AP U.S. History
- AP World History
Open Enrollment
The Smyrna School District’s Advanced Placement Program seeks to expand AP access and AP success for all students. Guided by the principle of equitable access, Smyrna High School schedules students according to an open enrollment policy, in which all students who are academically prepared and motivated to take the challenge of rigorous courses are enrolled. We believe that open enrollment provides opportunities for all students to benefit from a college-level curriculum.
Resources to Help Your Enrollment Decisions
Students & Parents: For more information about specific AP courses, the challenges and rewards of AP, what it takes to be successful in AP courses, as well as which AP courses best suit your potential college and career choices visit the College Board at Explore AP.
If you are considering enrolling in an AP course for the first time, use the AP Expectations and Student Inventory and the AP Conversation Starter documents below to guide you in making your decision.
Parents: These materials give parents accessible and helpful insight into AP courses and the expectations for students:
- Resources for Parents and Families: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/home
- Big Future: www.bigfuture.org
- Road Trip: www.roadtripnation.com
- AP YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/advancedplacement
For answers to questions frequently asked about Smyrna High School's AP program see the AP Information Night PowerPoint below.