Boulder High School has been designated by the Boulder Valley School District Board of Education as an Advanced Placement (AP) focus school. The Advanced Placement (AP) Program is a cooperative educational endeavor between secondary schools and the colleges and universities.
As an Advanced Placement (AP) Focus School, Boulder High offers one of the most comprehensive programs in the state, with nearly 30 AP courses across multiple disciplines and grade levels. The AP program allows students the freedom to follow their passion, in whatever discipline(s) they choose. There are no specific set courses that must be taken for AP recognition at graduation.
Boulder High AP Achievement Recognition Cord & Exam Dates
We offer one of the largest Advanced Placement (AP) program in our district as measured by offering around 30 AP courses across a variety of disciplines and multiple grade levels. The AP program allows students the freedom to follow their passion, in whatever discipline(s) they choose. There are no specific set courses that must be taken for AP recognition at graduation. Boulder High students undertake college-level academic learning in the AP courses, and are given the opportunity to show that they have mastered the advanced material by taking AP exams.Students can receive credit, advanced placement, or both from thousands of colleges and universities that participate in the Advanced Placement Program.
The Boulder High School AP Achievement Recognition Cord is a source of pride for many of our graduates and a source of encouragement for students to commit to a rigorous course of study. For more information on this, please view the BHS AP Achievement Recognition Cord Website.
Late exam registration for all AP classes will be from February 19–23, 2024. The late fee is $40, plus the $98 exam fee for a total of $138. See below for instructions.
*Not sure if you paid already? To confirm payment and registration, please check with your AP teacher. You can also log in to RevTrak and go to My Account>My Settings>Order History to confirm payment.*
There are two important steps to register and pay to take an AP exam in May:
Join your teacher’s spring AP class on the College Board regardless of whether you will take the AP exam or not. Your AP teacher will give you a “join code” to register. Once you have registered, you will have access to AP Central for assignments from your teacher as well as practices for the AP exam. See your teacher for questions about this step.
Pay on RevTrak: Late AP exam registration is February 19–23, 2024. Link to BOH *LATE* 2024 SPRING AP PAYMENT ON REVTRAK (link active starting Feb. 19). Select the exam and enter the student’s name to pay, then select “Add to Cart.” If you are paying for multiple exams, repeat and add each exam to your cart. When your order is complete, select “Checkout” and pay. (You can also reach the RevTrak payment page by going to boh.bvsd.org > School Life > Fees & Payments > Pay Student Fees (RevTrak) > Additional Payments > Additional Opportunities > BOH *Late* Spring AP Payment.) The late fee is $40, plus the $98 exam fee for a total of $138 per exam. You do not need to print or submit your receipt.
STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE BOTH STEPS OR AN EXAM WILL NOT BE ORDERED!
Exam Waivers
For students who have qualified for Free and Reduced Lunch, please see Theresa van Zante in Counseling to receive a fee waiver. Do not pay online.
Do You Still Need to Register for a Fall or Yearlong AP Class?
Students who are taking a yearlong AP class or who took a single-semester AP class in the fall can still pay for an AP exam. Use the link in Step 2 above. Please note that a $40 late fee per exam will apply. Not sure if you already paid in the fall? Log in to RevTrak and go to My Account>My Settings>Order History, or your student can check with their AP teacher.
Boulder High School prepares students for the AP examinations listed below by offering a course associated with the test. Additional details about these exams can be found on the CollegeBoard AP Central Website. Not all AP classes are offered every year.
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program is a cooperative educational endeavor between the secondary schools and the colleges and universities. It allows high school students to take college-level academic learning in the AP courses, and it gives them the opportunity to show that they have mastered the advanced material by taking AP exams. Students can receive credit, advanced placement, or both from thousands of colleges and universities that participate in the Advanced Placement Program.
The AP Program is administered by the College Board. As in other College Board programs, AP procedures are determined by representatives of member institutions (public and independent schools, colleges, and universities). AP’s operational services are provided by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Not all AP courses are offered every year.
Yes. The Boulder High School AP Achievement Recognition Cord is offered to students who meet the College Board criteria for their AP scholar awards. These students will be awarded the cord for the graduation ceremony. This program is intended to encourage students traditionally underrepresented in AP courses to commit to a rigorous course of study for their high school years. More information can be found on the Boulder High AP Achievement Recognition Cord Website
Yes. All Boulder High School AP teachers have participated extensively in AP teacher training. AP teacher professional development workshops of one day and up to three weeks are offered year-round at sites in the United States and abroad. They are organized and run by College Board offices and/or independent educational institutions, and they are funded by a combination of participant fees and grants or donations. Each workshop focuses on an AP subject, specialized training in a particular discipline, or management of an AP course.
How Do Students Get College Credit for AP Classes?
Boulder High School students enrolled in AP courses learn as much, or more, than students taking the same courses in college, so students who do well in AP may receive college credit. When the evidence of that achievement is a satisfactory grade on a rigorous national examination, the case for credit is even stronger. Many colleges and universities give credit to students transferring from other colleges, usually crediting courses in which students have a grade of C or better. An AP exam score of 3 or higher is better validated and probably represents a higher standard than these transfer grades. Individual colleges award credit for AP classes in accordance to their own guidelines. Contact universities directly for more information.
The Advanced Placement Focus Program meets strict credit/placement criteria of selective colleges and universities on the basis of rigorous national examinations. The evidence of AP students’ achievement is not only a teacher’s grade, but also the results on a carefully designed national examination. AP exams are prepared by committees of college faculty and AP teachers, and are graded by other college and AP teachers, who ensure that the content and skills that are required reflect college-level achievement.
AP Grade Reports are sent in July to each student’s home, high school, and any college(s) designated by the student. At the time of the exam, students can indicate on their answer sheet if they would like a college to receive their grade. After the exam, they can contact College Board and request that the grade be sent to other colleges as well. Students may also cancel or withhold a grade by contacting the AP Program by June 15 of the testing year.
How are Boulder High Students Prepared for AP Classes?
AP classes at Boulder High School are open to any student. Some AP classes have no prerequisites, such as AP Language and Composition, AP Art History, and AP U.S. History. Any student interested in pursuing a challenging, rigorous, college-level course while in high school can simply register for these classes. Previous coursework or experience is essential for some AP classes. For example, students who wish to take AP Calculus must first successfully complete Pre-Calculus. Students who wish to take AP Spanish 5 must first complete Spanish 4.
Most AP classes currently taught at Boulder High School are taken by juniors and seniors who, with adequate planning, can take any AP class offered that they desire. Numerous advanced (honors) classes are available for freshmen and sophomores planning to take AP classes as juniors and seniors. These classes have weighted grades, as do all AP classes.
If you have any questions or issues, please contact our AP Test Coordinators, Dr. Erika James-Bouwmeester and Tomeria Baxter. For specific questions about a particular AP Course, it is also a good idea to talk with the teacher of that course.