The College Board offers 37 courses across 22 subject areas, many of which are offered in the Cumberland County High Schools. AP coursework exposes high school students to college-level material.  CCS students may enroll in an AP course if they have successfully completed the appropriate prerequisite courses.  Recommended criteria for entrance into an AP course includes a GPA of 90 in the Honors level of the previous corresponding subject and teacher or principal recommendation. 

AP coursework requires significantly more homework, writing, reading, and research than Honors or standard level classes.  The following are recommended limits on the number of AP courses a student should take, providing prerequisite criteria is met: 

9^th Grade:  No AP courses

10^th Grade:  One AP course

11^th Grade:  Up to three AP courses

12^th Grade:  Up to four AP courses

Beginning with the freshman (9th) class in the 2008-2009 School Year, (i.e., current juniors/graduation class 2011), students enrolled in Advanced Placement AP courses are required to take the AP Exams given by the College Board in order to receive full course credit.  Students will be required to decide during the first quarter/term of the AP course whether they will take the exam.  Students will pay for a maximum of three AP exams over the course of their high school career.  AP exam fees for the fourth and subsequent exams will be paid by the Board of Education.  If a student does not take the AP exam of the AP course in which he/she is enrolled in, the student will earn a grade no higher than a "B".  Therefore, if a student opts not to take the AP test for a course in he/she is currently enrolled, the classroom teacher will lower the final grade by one letter grade.  The numerical grade will reflect the next numerical grade associated with the letter grade (e.g., 99 (A) will be lowered to 92 (B), 92 (B) will be lowered to 84 (C), etc.)

Since the AP exam is only offered during the spring semester, teachers may have to adjust student grades that were posted during the first semester if it is determined that the student failed to take an AP exam for a course in which they were enrolled.

Link to College Board for Information about AP Coursework

Students and parents interested in specific school site AP information course offerings should visit school websites or call respective schools.

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