COLLEGIATE: Poly creates personalized learning program designed to imitate the college experience.
By Ashley Gore, Staff Editor
With college admissions growing more competitive for each graduating class, students need a leg up more than ever to receive those practically mythical acceptance letters. It is crucial they show both a passion and a desire for intellectual challenges through a rigorous course schedule, which is exactly what Poly’s new Advanced Placement (AP) Academy will deliver. Operating on the motto, “May what you pursue, experience, understand and create be one and the same,” this new program will prepare students for college before they even receive their high school diploma.
The Academy prides itself on being “rigorous, prestigious and inclusive.” All students driven enough to complete the program are encouraged to fill out the application, which requests current Grade Point Average (GPA), unofficial transcripts, past middle school courses and two personal statements.
The application also requires one more criterion: concentration choice. Similar to declaring a college major, students must choose a concentration around which they will focus their studies. Graduation from the Academy hinges upon the student’s completion of pre-designed coursework that satisfies his or her concentration, which can be anything from Civil Engineering to Business. For example, a concentration in Communications demands satisfactory completion of AP European History, AP Psychology, AP Language and Composition, AP Literature and Composition, AP Art History and either AP Spanish or AP French. The coursework spans a student’s whole high school career. Additionally, students must take all AP tests for their courses and attend Academy events in order to graduate from the program.
However, each concentration does not only contain AP courses. Principal Dr. Michael Roe hopes to incorporate historically underfilled yet important electives like philosophy into course requirements as well. “Integrating our philosophy course [will] get students to interpret their learning by conducting a thorough examination of the lens they use to view their world and their respective role in it,” Roe said.
Requiring students to choose a concentration allows them to pursue their passion while also personalizing their learning experience in a truly unique way. “Our hope is that students choose a concentration they are passionate about now and have an interest in pursuing in college and beyond,” Cheston Booth, AP Academy director, said.
Upon completion of the program, a student receives a letter of recommendation, a seal on his or her diploma, a graduation sash and recognition at senior awards night. This prestigious package will certainly shine on graduates’ college applications and prove their mettle to college admission teams.
While the AP Academy marks a significant step in personalizing and intensifying a student’s high school experience, some upperclassmen are weary of schools asking young students to specialize their studies so early. Upon learning about the prize package students get for completing the program, Sophia Helfand (12) said, “I don’t think they should have any of those benefits. That’s encouraging students to specialize too early in their careers. I think it should be an option for people who know what they want, but no one should do it just for the benefits.”
When given the opportunity to respond to this concern, Booth replied that student concentration choice will ensure that students do not merely “take as many AP classes as they can.” Instead, they will take a manageable amount of courses that ignite their passion while also setting them apart in the eyes of colleges.
Booth and Roe remain optimistic for the program’s success. The AP Academy will undoubtedly provide driven, college-bound students with a challenging yet rewarding high school experience unlike any other.