Brandon Twp.- By next summer, Rachel Hartwig will have completed 18 college credits? for free and before becoming a college student.
She will have accomplished this through successfully completing numerous advanced placement courses as a student at Brandon High School.
‘I like the challenge and it’s a great opportunity to get college credit and save money,? says Hartwig, who smiles as she notes her parents like the program, too.
Hartwig, a senior, took AP U.S. history her freshman year, followed it up with AP biology and U.S. government her sophomore year, then AP psychology, chemistry, and composition her junior year. This year, she is taking AP calculus and literature.
Hartwig and fellow BHS student Megen Miller qualified for the College Board’s AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of the exams, taken in May after completing the college-level courses at BHS.
Jessica DeLuge qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of 3.25 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
The following 10 students qualifed for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP exams with grades of 3 or higher: Rachel Burley, Andrew Chester, Jill Doctor, Christina Hart, Erich Heiden, Kristina Kovarik, Stewart Olney, Alexandra Sowa, Caitlan Williams, and Ian Williams.
BHS Principal Michael Ferguson says the school has been increasing the number of advanced placement courses offered in the last six to seven years and the number of students taking them has also increased. The advanced placement program and a change in academic expectations, he adds, is one of the reasons BHS was named a blue ribbon exemplary school.
‘We’ve grown a lot,? Ferguson said. ‘I’m proud of that… Kids are challenging themselves and getting college credit.?
Ferguson said the program is inexpensive and does not require the hiring of additional staff, but more training for existing staffmembers. AP teachers attend Oakland University for instruction.
Besides the AP classes Hartwig has taken or is currently in, BHS also offers AP microeconomics, as well as AP macroeconomics, and Ferguson hopes to add AP physics, technology and art courses.
Currently, 250 students are enrolled in AP courses at BHS. Ferguson notes it’s a good deal, particularly since about 85 percent of students continue their education by attending a college, university, or vocational school.