AP® Courses (grades 9-12)
AP® Courses – Fast Facts
Gifted LearningLinks (GLL) offers high school AP® courses in English & writing, humanities & social sciences, foreign languages, science, math, and technology. Courses provide students in grades 9 through 12 with a variety of options to develop critical thinking skills and analytical prowess.
GLL AP® courses are based on a facilitated independent study model, allowing students the flexibility to work through intellectually rigorous material and accomplish learning goals at their own pace. Master teachers guide students through course material, providing individualized feedback and facilitating peer interaction through online discussion forums and other online learning tools. Textbooks for AP® are listed and available for purchase through the CTD online bookstore [http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/ctd.htm].
All course documents and assignments, along with a recommended schedule for completing the course in nine months, are available on the course site at the start of the course. Students who wish to accelerate through the course in a shorter time frame can discuss target completion dates with the instructor during the first week of the course.
Students enrolled in AP® courses have up to nine months from their official start date (the 15th of the month) to complete their course(s). GLL grants written requests for extensions on an individual basis, with the approval of the instructor and GLL staff, and assesses a $75 fee for each month of extension. The maximum allowable course extension is three consecutive months beyond the original nine-month time frame.
Each course carries the equivalent of two semesters of academic credit. Course prerequisites are included in the course descriptions. Upon completion of the course, students receive an official Center for Talent Development transcript with their course grade.
NOTE: Currently, the AP Course Audit on the College Board website lists GLL as Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search.
Accelerated Summer Option (ASO)
The Accelerated Summer Option offers students an opportunity to complete the same coursework in an accelerated timeframe of nine weeks. In order to do so, students are expected to spend four to six hours per day working on class assignments. It is highly recommended that students budget their time wisely before deciding to enroll in an ASO course. This option is most appropriate for highly motivated, independent students. Students will receive 2 high school credits upon successful completion of the course. Textbooks for ASO courses are the same textbooks for the normal 9-month course. You can look up and purchase textbooks through the CTD online bookstore [http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/ctd.htm].
Students participating in an ASO course who are unable to complete their coursework in nine-weeks may revert to the nine-month option (June 15 start with an extended March 15, 2013 end date) with the approval of the instructor and GLL staff. Requests must be made in writing by August 3, 2012 or two weeks before the ASO end date. A $75 processing fee is required to revert to the nine-month option.
Click here for 2012 ASO course offerings!
AP® Courses – Fast Facts
| Program Type | Program Model |
Grade Levels |
Session | Application Deadlines |
Start Date | End Date | Time Commitment |
| AP® | Facilitated Independent Study |
Grades 9 – 12 |
Year-round | Day 1 of every month | Day 15 of every month | Up to 9 months from start date | 4 – 6 hours/week (in order to finish in 9-month timeframe) |
| Grades 9 – 12 |
Accelerated Summer Option | June 1 | June 15 | August 17 | 4 – 6 hours/day |
Gifted LearningLinks (GLL) offers high school AP® courses in English & writing, humanities & social sciences, foreign languages, science, math, and technology. Courses provide students in grades 9 through 12 with a variety of options to develop critical thinking skills and analytical prowess.
GLL AP® courses are based on a facilitated independent study model, allowing students the flexibility to work through intellectually rigorous material and accomplish learning goals at their own pace. Master teachers guide students through course material, providing individualized feedback and facilitating peer interaction through online discussion forums and other online learning tools. Textbooks for AP® are listed and available for purchase through the CTD online bookstore [http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/ctd.htm].
All course documents and assignments, along with a recommended schedule for completing the course in nine months, are available on the course site at the start of the course. Students who wish to accelerate through the course in a shorter time frame can discuss target completion dates with the instructor during the first week of the course.
Students enrolled in AP® courses have up to nine months from their official start date (the 15th of the month) to complete their course(s). GLL grants written requests for extensions on an individual basis, with the approval of the instructor and GLL staff, and assesses a $75 fee for each month of extension. The maximum allowable course extension is three consecutive months beyond the original nine-month time frame.
Each course carries the equivalent of two semesters of academic credit. Course prerequisites are included in the course descriptions. Upon completion of the course, students receive an official Center for Talent Development transcript with their course grade.
NOTE: Currently, the AP Course Audit on the College Board website lists GLL as Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search.
Accelerated Summer Option (ASO)
The Accelerated Summer Option offers students an opportunity to complete the same coursework in an accelerated timeframe of nine weeks. In order to do so, students are expected to spend four to six hours per day working on class assignments. It is highly recommended that students budget their time wisely before deciding to enroll in an ASO course. This option is most appropriate for highly motivated, independent students. Students will receive 2 high school credits upon successful completion of the course. Textbooks for ASO courses are the same textbooks for the normal 9-month course. You can look up and purchase textbooks through the CTD online bookstore [http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/ctd.htm].
Students participating in an ASO course who are unable to complete their coursework in nine-weeks may revert to the nine-month option (June 15 start with an extended March 15, 2013 end date) with the approval of the instructor and GLL staff. Requests must be made in writing by August 3, 2012 or two weeks before the ASO end date. A $75 processing fee is required to revert to the nine-month option.
Click here for 2012 ASO course offerings!
