In-School Options

Advanced Placement Courses (AP)

Created by The College Board, AP classes are college level courses which students traditionally take in high school. Upon completion, students earn high school credits. To earn college credits, students must obtain certain scores on the AP exam in May. Students can prepare for an AP exam via independent study with a teacher or mentor and can take AP exams without having completed an AP course. There are currently 32 AP courses available from The College Board. Check with your local high school regarding AP courses offered. AP courses can also by taken through CTD's distance education program, Gifted LearningLinks, or through CTD's Equinox summer program. For more information, contact: The College Board at Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023-6992, 217.713.8066, or http://www.collegeboard.org/

Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment is a program that exists by legislation in certain states. It is also referred to as post-secondary option. Currently, dual enrollment legislation exists in 22 states nationwide including Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Indiana. Dual enrollment allows high school students to take college classes through a local university or college, while primarily enrolled in high school. Check with you local school administrators or with the gifted education coordinator for your state for more information about this option. Dual enrollment legislation varies by states and stipulates when such courses can be taken (typically during grades 11 and 12), how many courses can be taken, eligible colleges and universities, fees (most often covered by high school), credits earned, etc.

International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate exists within some high schools throughout the world and consists of courses that students take during the last two years of high school. Students who complete the full program earn an IB diploma. The IB program has its own curriculum which includes a theory of knowledge course, a creativity, action, and service requirement, a research project, and academically rigorous set of courses which emphasizes second language proficiency, and a formal examination requirement. The IB program is academically challenging and rigorous and is highly regarded by colleges and universities. It may be attractive to students who anticipate earning a degree abroad.

For more information
The North American and Caribbean Regional Office

phone: 212.696.4464
email: IBNA@ibo.org

Articles:

• Michigan’s ATYP Program
• Research: What Parents like about the Saturday Enrichment Program, by Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, Ph.D., & Seon-Young Lee, Ph.D., Fall 2003