Over 85 percent of Placentia-Yorba Linda students who took the Advanced Placement (AP) exam passed in 2012-2013. Results are released a year behind making the 2012-2013 scores the most recent. This is the second consecutive year that Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified ranked second out of the 15 districts with high schools in Orange County.
Not only do Placentia-Yorba Linda students have a high pass rate, the majority also score among the highest possible scores. Students can receive a score of 1-5. Out of the 3,646 exams that students took, 2,076 received a top score of 4 or 5, meaning that in over half of the exams Placentia-Yorba Linda students scored the highest possible score or in the top tier.
The AP exam, which is administered by the College Board, measures college rigor while students are still in high school since exam questions are developed by a committee of college faculty members in addition to AP teachers. Many colleges even award college credit for AP scores. According to the College Board’s website, currently more than 90 percent of colleges and universities across the country offer college credit, advanced placement or both for qualifying AP exams. For students and parents this could be a cost-saver since students may earn credit in lieu of taking the college course. Students may also be eligible to skip introductory college courses, propelling them into upper-level college classes. Admissions officers also take note of AP courses which could make a difference in today’s competitive college admission process.
The 2012-2013 school year was the second consecutive year that PYLUSD continued to be the second-highest scoring in Orange County. Although scores have always been in the 80-percent range, scores have gradually increased over the past few years. Student achievement is the school district’s first focus area in the district’s five-year strategic plan called the “PYLUSD Advantage.”
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Not only do Placentia-Yorba Linda students have a high pass rate, the majority also score among the highest possible scores. Students can receive a score of 1-5. Out of the 3,646 exams that students took, 2,076 received a top score of 4 or 5, meaning that in over half of the exams Placentia-Yorba Linda students scored the highest possible score or in the top tier.
The AP exam, which is administered by the College Board, measures college rigor while students are still in high school since exam questions are developed by a committee of college faculty members in addition to AP teachers. Many colleges even award college credit for AP scores. According to the College Board’s website, currently more than 90 percent of colleges and universities across the country offer college credit, advanced placement or both for qualifying AP exams. For students and parents this could be a cost-saver since students may earn credit in lieu of taking the college course. Students may also be eligible to skip introductory college courses, propelling them into upper-level college classes. Admissions officers also take note of AP courses which could make a difference in today’s competitive college admission process.
The 2012-2013 school year was the second consecutive year that PYLUSD continued to be the second-highest scoring in Orange County. Although scores have always been in the 80-percent range, scores have gradually increased over the past few years. Student achievement is the school district’s first focus area in the district’s five-year strategic plan called the “PYLUSD Advantage.”
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