AP & Dual Credit Classes

List of 4 items.

• Advanced Placement Courses

  AP courses offer the opportunity for students to master curriculum similar to the college-level. These rigorous classes require extended reading and preparation for class, and students are challenged to analyze and synthesize learned information. AP courses prepare students to take the corresponding AP Exam in May, where college credit may be earned based on a set of standards deemed by each individual institution. A large percentage of colleges and universities grant credit upon a score of 4 or 5. Visit the College Board to learn more about the AP policies of various institutions.

• Dual Credit College Classes

  These courses provide students the opportunity to take college-credit bearing classes, where students gain exposure to challenging, college-level curriculum while in the supportive high school environment. Transcripted credit is earned upon successful completion of the class. Dual credit classes facilitate close collaboration between approved high school and college faculty, fostering alignment of secondary and postsecondary curriculum. DSHA currently partners with Marquette University, Mount Mary University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
  
  For more information, contact Jennifer McLaughlin at McLaughlinJ@dsha.info.
  Click here to learn more. 

• What is the difference between Dual Credit and AP?

  • Dual credit courses are actual credit-bearing college courses, while AP classes prepare a student for the AP exam, where a student’s score may earn her credit.
  • Dual credit students earn a college grade based on multiple and varied assessments, whereas AP credit is based upon the exam only.
  • Dual credit students earn transcripted college credit at the time they successfully pass the course.

• Dual Credit, AP, and Wellness at DSHA

  Before course selection, think about the big picture: your outside commitments, your ability to deal with multiple demands, your ability to deal with stress, and the importance of your overall wellness, including the utmost importance of mental health, regular exercise, and adequate sleep.
  
  Dr. Brian Fidlin, a clinical psychologist with Milwaukee Psychiatric Physicians Chartered, recommends parents and students ask themselves the following questions before a student enrolls in a course (in high school, college and beyond):
  

  • How would I rate my daughter’s ability to manage stress? [High/Medium/Low]
  • What stress management tools do we have in place already? How much do we know about stress and how to manage it?
  • How much does my daughter have on her plate? How much will she have on her plate when school (and particular classes) are in session?
  • What are signs my daughter displays when she is stressed vs. non-stressed, overwhelmed vs. not overwhelmed? How quickly can we adjust to the stress she experiences and manage it?
  • What level of stress do I want my daughter functioning at? What if that means turning opportunities down—is she/are we prepared to eliminate activities to better manage stress?