Quantcast

Central Jersey College Prep Charter School to Participate in the College Board AP Capstone Diploma Program

Starting in the fall, Central Jersey College Prep Charter School will begin participation in a program designed to help students succeed in college.

CJCP will be one of approximately 1,500 schools worldwide to implement the AP Capstone diploma program, a program that allows students to develop skills that matter most for college success, such as research, collaboration, and communication, according to a press release from the school.

The program consists of two courses taken in sequence: AP Seminar and AP Research. Developed in direct response to feedback from higher education faculty and college admission officers, AP Capstone complements the in-depth, subject-specific study of other Advanced Placement courses and exams, according to the release.

Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on AP Seminar and AP Research assessments and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing will earn the AP Capstone Diploma. This signifies their outstanding academic achievement and attainment of college-level academic and research skills, the release said. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on both AP Seminar and AP Research assessments only (but not on four additional AP Exams) will earn the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.

“This innovative program gets a broader, more diverse student population ready for college and beyond,” Dr. Namik Sercan, CJCP’s CEO, said in the release. “The program gives our teachers more leeway with curriculum choices so their students can access more challenging coursework and sharpen their reading and writing skills.”

The AP Seminar course, typically taken in 10th or 11th grade, equips students with the ability to look at academic or real-world issues from multiple perspectives, according to the release. Through a variety of materials—articles to research studies to foundational and philosophical texts—students tackle complex questions; understand and evaluate opposing viewpoints; interpret and synthesize information; and construct, communicate, and defend evidence-based arguments.

Teachers have flexibility to cover local, regional, national, and global topics relevant to their students, around themes such as education, innovation, sustainability, and technology. Students are assessed through a team project and presentation, an individual project and presentation, and an end-of-course written exam.

In the subsequent AP Research course, students design, plan, and conduct a year-long research-based investigation on a topic of individual interest, documenting their process with a portfolio. Students build on skills developed in the AP Seminar course by learning how to understand research methodology; employ ethical research practices; and collect, analyze, and synthesize information to build, present, and defend an argument, according to the release.

“We’re proud to offer AP Capstone, which enables students and teachers to focus on topics of their choice in great depth,” Trevor Packer, senior vice president for AP and Instruction at the College Board, said in the release. “This provides terrific opportunities for students to develop the ability to write and present their work effectively, individually, and in groups—the very skills college professors want their students to possess.”

In partnership with the higher education community, the College Board developed AP Capstone so students can practice skills that will serve them well in college and career. Colleges and universities have voiced their support of the program, according to the release.

“AP Capstone is a unique program that teaches skills we think are very valuable not only for college but life,” John Barnhill, assistant vice president for enrollment management at Florida State University, said in the release. “The ability to analyze, to critically think, and to present information is really wonderful, and I think both courses do a great job of preparing the student for the rest of their lives.”

 

 

Your Thoughts

comments

Please Support Independent Journalism In Franklin Township!

No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you the depth of information presented by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate. Period. We are the only truly independent media serving the Eight Villages.

But we can only do that with your support. Please consider a yearly subscription to our online news site; at $37 a year, it’s one of the best investments you can make in our community.

To subscribe, please click here.

Other News From The Eight Villages …