UPPER SCHOOL
Curriculum Guide
Course Registration
PHILOSOPHY OF AP (ADVANCED PLACEMENT)
North Shore participates in the National College Board Advanced Placement Program. AP courses are college-level courses taught by our faculty. At the end of each AP course, students are required to take the national AP exam for that course.
At NSCD, students are encouraged to take up to two AP courses in eleventh grade and three in twelfth grade to maintain a balanced course load. NSCD believes that the AP curriculum is essential to the upper school academic offerings. As a college preparatory institution, NSCD believes it is critical that 1) we offer a variety of AP courses and 2) many upper school students take advantage of these AP offerings. The College Board has officially approved all AP courses offered at NSCD following their course audit process, and each has its unique expectations and challenges. While the decision to enroll in an AP course is multi-faceted, the preliminary finding should be based on a student’s documented evidence of previous performance and commitment to engage in all aspects of the course thoroughly and comprehensively.
The AP courses offer a challenging and rigorous academic framework; therefore, entrance into these courses typically requires an application process. Students enrolled in an AP course should demonstrate the following:
The AP courses offer a challenging and rigorous academic framework; therefore, entrance into these courses typically requires an application process. Students enrolled in an AP course should demonstrate the following:
- intellectual maturity and intellectual curiosity
- the ability to work productively during class discussions and small group activities
- disciplined work habits/ strong work ethic
- the ability to work independently and self-assess
- mastery of prerequisite knowledge
- effective reading comprehension
- the ability to manage complex assignments and deadlines
- the ability to apply analytical thinking to questions and problems
Finally, AP courses demand a significant time commitment. In keeping with North Shore’s philosophy of student growth and development in academics, arts, and athletics, we believe students must consider their overall program when applying to AP courses. All AP enrollment is reviewed with particular attention given to the schedules of those students intending to enroll in two or more AP courses. Sometimes, a student may take three in eleventh and four in twelfth grade, but the administration must approve the request.
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS ABOUT AP COURSES
Each academic department will have informational meetings about the AP courses they offer. Students must attend these meetings if they plan on pursuing the course. Students will not be scheduled in the course if they don't attend the meetings. Informational meetings will be held annually in mid-February (see the current year upper school calendar for the specific date and location information). Students who cannot attend the meeting must contact the appropriate department chair.During this time, students must do the following:
- Read this packet thoroughly and talk to their family, teachers, and advisors about which AP courses they may be interested in pursuing.
- Attend informational meetings for any AP course they are interested in taking.
- Ensure they meet the prerequisites for any AP courses they are interested in. Enrollment in AP courses is contingent upon meeting the prerequisites and having the department's recommendation.
Teachers will enter course recommendations (including AP courses) into MyNSCD for the coming school year between late February and early March. Students and their families will have access to those recommendations when the course registration system opens in mid-March. If you have any concerns about a student's AP course recommendation(s), the teacher(s) and department chair(s) should be addressed during the spring conversations.
