West Hills High School

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses: What are they?

AP courses are college-level courses taught at the high school. Students are taught a rigorous depth and breadth of material following the College Board required elements for each course. The purpose of the AP program is to enable students to be competitive with other students throughout the nation on challenging AP exams. Successfully completing these exams allows students to earn college credit for courses taken in high school and is a bonus for students and their families when facing the rising costs of college education. Students who have taken an AP course but who opt out of the AP exam have had a more rigorous course than other students on campus and are better prepared for their future. For the purpose of computing grade point averages within the Grossmont Union High School District, Advance Placement courses carry a “weighted” 5-point “A”. 

We encourage all AP students to pay for and take the AP exam in the subjects they are enrolled in. Some colleges will not acknowledge the AP course in a student’s transcript if they have not attempted the exam(s) for courses in which they are enrolled. We strongly encourage you and your student review college admissions policies for the college(s) and university(ies) of your choice to make an informed decision on taking the exam or not. Even within the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) systems, policies vary from college to college, university to university.

 

Here is a helpful link on our district website:

 

AP exams cost money. Why does a student have to pay for an exam at a public school?

The AP level coursework is an elective level of rigor. Students must choose to enroll and stay in AP courses. The College Board, a non-profit private entity maintains, publishes and scores the AP exams. They determine the fee, each year, for each test. For the 2020-21 school year, the fee is $95 per test. For low income families, there are fee waivers available. Please contact Mrs. Gaeir in the administration office for more information in September when it becomes available. Fees are collected in September each year for the May exams. To pay your student’s total bill, we take cash, credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and checks made out to "West Hills High School." You may also order on-line in the ASB store but there is a surcharge for this. 

 

West Hills is in year 3 of a 3 year grant to support students in both accessing Advanced Placement courses in English, Math, Science and Computer Science and excelling on their exam scores. Through a competitive grant application, West Hills was selected to participate in this Department of Defense grant. Read more about it in the letter to parents and students from the 2020-21 school year. (Letter will be updated once the DOD gives us the information to do so). 

 

What if my student has a testing conflict?

Late testing is available in very rare and unique circumstances and for CIF playoffs. The College Board will not allow late testing for illness (unless serious with doctor’s note or hospitalization), vacation, etc. Students should talk with the AP Coordinator, Mrs. Gaeir, in the Assistant Principal’s office as soon as a conflict is known, particularly for CIF athletic competition needs.

Where can I get more information regarding the AP program?

The College Board hosts a very user friendly comprehensive web site at www.collegeboard.com. Look for “AP” and you will find massive resources on all the courses, testing, scoring, etc.

For course specific questions, please contact the West Hills teacher teaching the course your student is enrolled in.

You can also contact West Hills AP Coordinator, Assistant Principal Mrs. Gaeir at 619-956-0421 or by e-mail. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please put your student’s name and “AP question” in the subject line so the e-mail reaches Mrs. Gaeir and is not filtered out.