How do we get into AP classes in high school?

Question

I'm in 8th grade right now, and i have a question, how do we get into AP classes? do we have to be in TAG(talented and gifted)/advance to be in ap classes? please help me

Answer 1

I am a freshman, and from what I know, you do not need to be in TAG (Or excel as we call it in our district) and almost all of the students can join up for an AP class if they choose to. However, for science, a test was needed to get into a higher science class, along with math. I took the math test, never found out how I did, but I got in, so I guess I passed, and I also think that my previous math teacher made a recommendation.

I have personally noticed that all of the students who are taking an AP course are very dedicated students who are hard working top students.

The school I am attending offered an AP night were students and their parents could go and meet the Honors/AP teachers in advance, and believe me, it really helped. If I were you, I would talk to your teacher right now to get their opinion if you would be ready, talk to the AP teachers to see what you can do to help yourself get more prepared, and talk to students, see how they did and get their feedback.

I think you will do fine! Good luck.

Answer 2

First mull over your course selection guide. You must complete a four year planner to graduate from high school. In your course selection guide you are able to view the pre-requisites for each given course.

Now AP classes have different types of pre-requisites. At my school their is no TAG program, although I think we have something like it called- HCL (Highly Capable Learners). To enroll in an AP class you do not have to be in any form of TAG or HCL.

You should know your schedule now, because school is starting very soon. You most likely will not be able to take any AP courses this year.

Ok, so here is what you have to do to get into an AP course.

I will be a Sophomore this year. The AP courses that I will be taking are AP Physics and AP US History.

To get into AP US History I had to: 1. Complete World Connections/ Technology Connections (Freshman History classes) 2. Get a teacher recommendation from my Freshman History class instructor. 3. Read a passage from the American Pageant 4. Write a 30 minute timed essay responding to my choice of two different prompts 5. Wait to see if I got in.

So all in all, I had to complete Freshman History, get a teacher recommendation, get my grades checked, and write a timed essay that would later be scored.

AP Physics is different. Most likely you won't be able to take this until Junior or Senior year. I  had to complete Algebra II and get a grade check. I am advanced in math/science.

Basically, they check what classses you've taken. It helps to take more advanced classes so you can take AP's earlier- but being in HCL or TAG won't make a difference...

If your not in TAG, don't worry... Whether you didn't make it, or didn't want to it doesn't matter. I was nominated to be in the program Aiming High, which is like TAG and HCL, in grade 2, 3, 4, and 5. I never made it once.

In middle school, I knew kids who were in it... It never really mattered to me. I basically didn't care about anything, but music, art, and skateboarding... In grade seven I basically hit rock bottom. I was never one of the smart kids...

I took the test to get into Algebra as an eighth grader (excelled mathematics) and I didn't make it... I ended up acing the test, but they wouldn't allow me to take it because of my grades... I went in with my father and told the principal that I could take Algebra in grade eight... She let me in, but basically told me that she expected me to fail out (if you got a b-, you had to drop the class). I did ok in the class... But I was still young, and didn't really want to focus on anything...

So now I was in excelled math, and I was allowed to take Geometry as a Freshman... But, when registering for my Freshman classes I realized that I was in advanced science as well... This was because I scored 4's on all sections (reading, writing, math, science) of the state wide assesment that we take every two years... It's on a scale of 1-4...

So here I was, this kid who didn't care about school being allowed to take advanced science and math classes... Over the summer I decided that I wanted to try. I wanted to prove people wrong, I wanted to prove to my peers as well as myself that I could accomplish something. Above all, I wanted to attend a prestigious university- either Princeton or M.I.T.

I got perfect grades all year. Not only that, but I did things that I never thought I would do- Like volunteer, join clubs, or be Freshman president. I knew from the beginning that I would do sports. As time moved on I saw myself changing. I still wasn't in HCL, but I was O.K. with that. I never took the test when I got into middle school... They didn't ask me to take it again after grade 5.

I was now becoming known as an overachiever. People like how I could be careless outside of the classroom, but be such an over achiever inside of it... All of my friends still didn't care about school...

I didn't hang out with the HCL kids, but I was ranked number one in the whole Freshman class. I didn't brag about it... I didn't need to be inn HCL to feel good about myself. I was basically working hard because I wanted to... Not for much else. I took Algebra 2 my Freshman year as well because I found my passion in math... I had to get permission to do this. This enabled me to get even further ahead in science and take AP Physics Sophomore year- While most kids took Honors Bio which I've already taken or Honors Chemistry... Which I am allowed to skip.

So that's it... I proved people wrong, and I'm not in HCL... Even if they asked me to, I'd say no thanks... Maybe, that's just who I am.

I don't think I'll ever be one of those goody-goody nerd kids, but I guess I act just like them... I think there's more to school than trying to look perfect for someone else.

Take the classes that you love.

Good luck.

Answer 3

gotta see ur consular  

Answer 4

It depends on your high school. In many high schools, it's a combination of being in top-level classes and being recommended by the teacher of a class. If you want to get into AP classes, then you should talk to teachers in that subject or your guidance counselor.

Answer 5

It depends on the school.  The best thing I can recommend is to read your course selection guide.  Most AP classes aren't available until at least your sophomore year, but they often have pre-requisites that must be taken in the years before.  When choosing classes, make a mock outline of all four years you want to take.  This way, you don't miss out on an AP class your senior year because you started with a more basic class your freshman year.