This study compared the achievement of biology, physics, and chemistry students in Higher Level (HL) International Baccalaureate (IB) programs with achievement of students in Subsidiary Level (SL) IB programs and regular Alberta (Canada) programs (n=708 students). Students in IB out-performed students in regular programs. Within IB, HL and SL…

Examines potential advantages of Advance Placement (AP) courses for students and schools. Reviews literature on the effects of AP courses on students, AP implications for college admissions, AP implications for college attendance, AP economic implications, and AP program concerns. Concludes that AP program advantages for students, schools, and…

Reports the results of a year-long program incorporating intensive journalistic writing into Advanced Placement English courses. Notes that most students who took the course received high scores on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition test, and that all students in the course improved their writing. (MM)

Describes the author's experiences when incorporating an intensive journalistic writing program into her high school English class. (MM)

Shows how the addition of intensive journalistic writing can enliven the traditional high school English class. (MM)

Discusses a high school advanced placement physics course cooperating with neighboring college. Describes the background, titles of experiments, report format, and discussion. (YP)

Career guidance for high-school youth who are gifted is discussed. Strategies for providing educational opportunities for students who need greater challenge are outlined. These include extracurricular activities, advanced placement courses, advanced research and discussion seminars, foreign language and cultural education, and vocational and…

Restricted factor analysis shows that the multiple-choice and free-response sections of the Computer Science and Chemistry Advanced Placement examinations (College Board) measure the same proficiencies for the most part. There is a small degree of multidimensionality because of local dependence among free-response items. (SLD)

A study investigated college admissions committee policies for recognizing and rewarding high school advanced placement and honors coursework. One-quarter award an extra grade point for advanced classes, 45 percent give priority in processing these applicants, and 66 percent give points in ranking applications. Advanced placement coursework is…

After participating in a 3-week individually paced precalculus or science course, 892 academically talented high school students were surveyed. Findings indicated that most students received credit or placement or both for their independent work. Placement/credit was related to Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, gender, type of school, and grade…

Early-entrance programs for academically gifted students aged 10 to 14 are offered at a number of colleges and universities. Admissions officials and experts on gifted children worry that some students are not mature enough, that their social development will suffer, and that they will experience social isolation. Highly selective colleges may be…

The College Board released the profile of 1998 college freshmen who took the Scholastic Assessment Tests and Advanced Placement exams and reported that the number of well-prepared students of all ethnicities is increasing, as is the number of poorly prepared students. The most striking differences found were between suburban schools and schools in…

Describes the new Advanced Placement (AP) world history course, which has a global and thematic focus and emphasizes global interactions and comparative issues. Discusses the chronology used and its emphasis on global forces and developments within civilizations. Believes that world history courses should assist students in understanding how the…

Discusses why world history instruction is flourishing in higher education. Describes the new Advanced Placement (AP) world history course and states that the course is comparable to college-level world history courses. Considers to which college world history course the AP course is most comparable. (CMK)

Describes the six habits of mind fundamental to the study of history. Argues that a world history course must introduce students to the processes by which historians study the past. Provides suggestions for teaching the habits of mind through the proposed Advanced Placement (AP) world history course. (CMK)