The Advanced Placement Program is administered by The College Board, a national nonprofit membership association. Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School is a member school offering AP courses. Courses are taught by Bishop McLaughlin faculty and are comparable to first-year college courses. At the conclusion of an AP course, students must take the corresponding AP exam. AP exams are three-hour multiple choice and essay question exams given in May. Exams are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 3 considered a “qualifying” score. There is an exam fee which will be collected with the annual registration fees in August. The College Board cites these benefits to Advanced Placement Courses:

• Students have the opportunity to study a subject in-depth at the college level, so they will be more prepared for college work.
• Students receiving a qualifying grade on an AP Exam may be eligible for advanced placement or course credits at the vast majority of colleges and universities in the United States. Acceptance of the credit depends on the policies of the particular college or university where the student enrolls.
• The AP Program offers a number of Scholar Awards to students for outstanding performance on AP exams. This achievement is noted on the AP transcript and recognized by colleges.

AP courses are open to those students who meet the requirements specified for each course. All students taking an AP course at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic must sit for the exam. Current AP offerings are listed below. Please keep in mind that courses with insufficient enrollment may not be offered.