Central VPA High School

In order to prepare students for the rigorous environment they will encounter in college, Central Visual and Performing Arts High School offers numerous courses with the Advanced Placement designation. The instructors of these courses have gone through a demanding national curriculum audit and have received approval by the College Board to teach their respective course at Central. Students enrolled in these courses will earn an honors designation on their transcript in addition to earning an additional point on their GPA for the work they do in that course, A=5 pts; B=4 pts; C=3pts; D=2 pt; F=0 pts. In addition to their coursework, students will be expected to sit for the national AP exam in their subject in early May. The scores range from a 1-5, with most colleges granting college credit for scores of 3 or higher. Students should check with individual colleges for their credit-granting policies. Selection for AP courses is very competitive because the work students complete will be on a college level. Each instructor has his/her own criteria for selection that normally begins in February for the following school year. At a minimum, students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher and >95% attendance are considered to be AP material. Individual teachers may require AP applicants to sit for an entrance exam, and students found qualifying for and interested in enrolling in an AP Course will be expected to sign a contract indicating their intent to persevere through the challenges of the AP program. Parents of AP applicants will be invited to a meeting in late March to learn about the benefits of AP and also to sign the same contract stating their knowledge and support of the program.