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AP Scholars Program

Advanced Placement Scholars

The Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars Program is a four-year college preparatory program providing students with an educational foundation of critical thinking and analytical skills as well as the improvement of written, oral, and presentation skills. By participating in Advanced Placement courses based on AP curricula outlined by the College Board, students in the AP Scholars Program are given unique opportunities to analyze data, synthesize information from multiple sources and points of view, problem solve for real-life situations, work both independently and collaboratively, and communicate effectively in multiple formats. Students may also earn college credit for qualifying scores on AP exams (college credit for AP scores varies by college/university and by subject).

Application Information

Specialty program applications will be accepted November 1, 2024-February 1, 2025.

Visit the Specialty Programs Application Process website to learn more about the application process.

Who can apply?

Applications for this program are open for rising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students who attend one of the following schools:

  • Battlefield HS
  • Brentsville District HS
  • Gainesville HS
  • Osbourn Park HS
  • Patriot HS
  • Unity Reed HS

Learn More About the AP Scholars Program

Program Information

Transfer Program

Students participating in this program will transfer to the program location for all courses and activities.

Express bus transportation is available to accepted students living outside the program location boundaries through Specialty Program Transportation.

School-Based Information

View information session details and contact information for the Specialty Programs Coordinator.

PWCS Course Catalog

View additional information about the  AP Scholars program in the PWCS course catalog.

PWCS Specialty Programs

Visit the high school specialty programs website to learn more about specialty programs in PWCS.

AP Scholars at Patriot HS

Overview

.    2023 AP Scholars Silver Medal

Patriot High School was once again awarded Silver Status for 2023-24 based on these criteria from the College Board.

AP Scholars

Student Requirements:

  • Must be enrolled in two or more advanced level courses each year.
  • Must earn a C (70%) or higher in all courses by the end of the year.
  • Must earn a minimum of 60 hours of community service by graduation.

Completion Requirements:

  • Complete Five AP courses or more by graduation (Pre-Calc AB/BC counts as an AP course).

OR

  • Four AP courses plus one Dual Enrollment (DE) course by graduation (Pre-Calc AB/BC counts as an AP course).
  • AP Seminar is recommended but not required. (Students that do not take AP Seminar will need to complete the APS Portfolio during their senior year).
Rising 9th Graders:
  • In good academic standing - Earning at least a C at the end of Semester 1 in all 8th grade classes.
  • In good attendance standing - Not chronically absent (not missing 10% or more of the current school year)
  • In good discipline standing - No discipline record in the past 12 months for fighting, vapes, disrespect/classroom disruptions, vandalism. No discipline record ever of assault/battery, sexual assault or harassment, arson, weapons, or drugs/alcohol. 
Rising 10th & 11th Graders:
  • Currently enrolled in at least 2 Advanced or 1 Advanced & 1 AP, or 2 AP courses
  • In good academic standing - Earning at least a C at the end of Semester 1 in all current classes.
  • In good attendance standing - Not chronically absent (not missing 10% or more of the current school year)
  • In good discipline standing - No discipline record in the past 12 months for fighting, vapes, disrespect/classroom disruptions, vandalism. No discipline record ever of assault/battery, sexual assault or harassment, arson, weapons, or drugs/alcohol.

Portfolio

The following portfolio is required for APS students in order to fully complete the program. This designation to fully complete the program can also be achieved through the AP Capstone classes that are now being offered to junior and senior AP Scholars students.
A student portfolio is a compilation of academic work and other forms of educational evidence assembled for the purpose of:
  1. Evaluating coursework quality and academic achievement.
  2. Determining whether students met academic rigor for AP Courses.
  3. Helping students reflect on their academic goals, future study and expanding world view.
  4. Creating a lasting archive of academic work products, accomplishments, and other documentation.
If a student wishes to receive the Patriot High School specialty designations, a portfolio is required. Throughout the AP Scholars Experience, students must choose four artifacts from different AP classes. An artifact is anything that can provide evidence of your education and experiences. This will likely be primarily coursework, including tests, essays, projects, presentations, or anything else meaningful that was assigned to you in an AP class. Examples of artifacts are:
  1. A research/resource based artifact
  2. A presentation based artifact
  3. An artifact of choice
Students must also chooses two Volunteer Opportunities to reflect upon:
  1. An In-School Community Service Opportunity
  2. An Out of School Community Service Opportunity
Students must write a two-page reflection on each artifact and volunteer opportunity. 
Reflection outlines are provided within the following pages and the rubrics are located in the appendix. All artifacts and reflections must be submitted online through a common document source through google. This source description will be included in the following pages.

Volunteer

All volunteer opportunities for the 2023-24 school year will be posted in our APS Canvas pages.

Service Hours

As a member of the Advanced Placement Scholars program, students will be required to complete instructional support and/or community service hours throughout their participation in the program. The purpose of including instructional support in the program is to build a support system for all participating students. By providing a structural framework that enables strong students to work with students having initial difficulties, the Advanced Placement Scholars program members will form a connection based on a mutual desire to be academically successful.

In order to be a full completer of the APS Program, one requirement is to complete 60 community service hours by graduation. The suggested plan is 15 hours per year; however, some students complete more/fewer hours each year. This is fine, as long as each student completes 60 hours total (or more) by graduation.
Community Service Requirements: Students are required to complete 15 hours of community service each year, or 60 hours of service by graduation. Types of activities students may complete are indicated below:

  • In-school service hours (5 or more hours per year)
  • Volunteer at the concession stand for athletic events
  • Assist with the AP Scholars tutoring program
  • Mentor new Advanced Placement Scholars participants
  • Mentor Advanced Placement Scholars probationary students
  • Assist with AP study sessions established by the teachers
  • Other in-school service hours deemed appropriate by the program coordinator
  • Outside of school service hours (10 or more hours per year) 
  • Volunteering your time at a credible organization
To receive credit for the community service hours, students must submit completed Community Service Hour Log at the end of each year. The record can be found in the links section on the APS canvas page. All hours must be submitted electronically and include the contact information of the supervising individual. Failure to include contact information may invalidate hours. It is the responsibility of the APS member to log hours in the Community Service Hours Log online. All seniors must submit hours by May 31 in order to receive credit for the diploma designations.