Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college level curriculum courses taught locally at Grayson High School by teachers who have been certified as AP instructors by the College Board.  At Grayson High School, we offer 19 courses in a face-to-face setting and many other courses online through either Gwinnett Online Campus and/or GA Virtual School.  

These courses, face to face or online, receive 10 points on their course grade reflected on their final transcript.  For example, if the natural grade in AP US History is an 85, the transcript will read 85 + 10 points = 95 points.  This additionally 10 points IS NOT INCLUDED when calculating a student's HOPE scholarship.  In stead, the GPA is calculated from the natural score (85 in this example equates to a B, which is a 3.0 on the GPA scale) and then .5 is added to the student's Hope GPA.  In this example, the student's HOPE GPA from AP US History would be a 3.5.

Each year during the registration process, the Curriculum Office works hard to ensure that students are placed in courses that allow them to be successful at the highest level possible.  If space allows, we allow students to opt into any Advanced Placement course if they have met the prerequisite requirements. 

This conversation has been an ever increasing discussion and one with multiple right answers depending on your student's specific goals.  Dual Enrollment courses are actual college courses taught at a specific college or taking one of the Dual Enrollment courses at Grayson High School.  This college credit is dependent upon their grade in that course with the high school grade being transcribed from the collegiate grade.  If a student is successful with the Dual Enrollment course, that credit may or may not transfer to the college the student finally ends up attending.  This is one of the difficult choices to consider: does this credit transfer to other colleges?  

Starting in the 2018-19 school year, Grayson High School began teaching multiple Gwinnett Technical College courses at Grayson High School with Grayson High School teachers.  Heading into the 2019-20 school year, we are offering Advanced Composition and College Algebra in the Fall 2019 semester.  In the Spring 2020 sememster, students will have the opportunity to take British Literature and Precalculus if interested.  Students also have the ability to take Dual Enrollment courses via online options while attending Grayson High School.  

Students taking an AP course will have the ability to take a national AP exam in May to earn collegiate credit.  Each college has their own AP credit acceptance policy.  The AP Credit Policy Search by the College Board can give students and parents an overview of the scores that equate to college courses at a wide variety of schools.

Each year during the registration process, the Curriculum Office works hard to ensure that students are placed in courses that allow them to be successful at the highest level possible.  If space allows, we allow students to opt-into any Advanced Placement course if they have met the prerequisitie requirements. 

The decision to take an AP course should not be taken lightly.  Students will not be allowed to drop AP courses at the beginning of a semester.  All changes will be made at the semester break.  Students and their families should take into account all the other activities that a student is doing in addition to the added responsibilities that may come with that specific AP course.  

No. Each student signs our AP Agreement stating that they commit to the course for the entire year.

How are grades calculated in AP courses and how does it affect HOPE GPA?
Students in AP classes have 10 points added to their average by GCPS. 

• On the GCPS transcript if the student makes a 75 it converts to an 85.  This average with the 10 points is used for all GCPS related items (class rank, honor grad, etc). 
• For calculation of the HOPE Scholarship average the 10 points are removed.  HOPE rewards students for AP classes by adding 0.5 points to their GPA for the course (based on a 0-4 scale).  For example, a student with a natural 80 would receive 3.0 points based on the 0-4 scale and then an additional .5 for rigor making the GPA a 3.5 for HOPE calculations.

Does the national AP Exam impact the student’s grade in the course?

No, taking the College Board AP exam does not calculate into or affect the student’s grade for the course.  Students can earn college credit for these courses if their scores on the national AP examinations are high enough to satisfy university requirements.  Not all colleges/universities have the same requirements.  Use the AP Credit Policy Search to find colleges that offer credit or placement for AP scores.

The cost of AP exams is approximately $90.00. If possible, GCPS will cover the cost of the first exam minus a $10.00 fee for that exam registration.

We will continue to provide updates regarding the new features each student will have access to throughout the upcoming school year.