King Philip Students Excel in AP, Getting Into More Colleges

The students of King Philip High School are performing at least on par with students on the state and national level in a new report from KP principal Lisa Oliveira.

According to the report, the class of 2012 had 2,105 college applications processed through Naviance, a program the school uses to help students apply for college. On average, each student submitted eight applications. 

Using data based on the 310 students that recently graduated, 141 universities and colleges accepted King Philip students with 252 students deciding to attend a four year school this fall along with three others who chose to attend school outside the United States.

There were also 26 graduates who went to two year schools, seven chose to go into the armed services, three more enrolled in career ed. schools, one decided to seek employment, four took the year off, and 11 either listed their plans for this school year as other or unknown.

Advance placement (AP) exams have be another sign of improvement at the high school. Since 2010, the amount of students taking AP course has gone up with 258 students taking 421 exams in 2012.

The tests are graded on a five point scale with five being the best score and a one being the worst. While the amount of near perfect scores has remained flat (69 in ’10, 73 in ’11, 69 in ,12) the number of kids scoring a four or a three have gone up from 73 four point scores in 2010 to 107 in 2012 and from 66 three point scores in 2010 to 128 in 2012.

The number of exams earning a one has gone down from 49 in 2010 to 37 in 2012. The number of two point scores however, has gone up from 56 to 80.

The number of scores in the 4-5 range can be important at the start of college since many schools will give students college credit for any AP exam score in that range with some also accepting a three. 

Since starting this year as principal, Olivieria has been a proponent of what she calls, “AP for All.” The idea would make AP classes more accessible to those who may not normally take an AP course with the thinking that even if that student does not do well on the AP exam, the challenge alone will make them a better student.

"What the data is telling us such as the Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative is that exposing kids to AP courses exposes them to a high level of rigor and so even if a student is scoring a two or a one on the exam, what they get out of that course works often can be more important than the two or the one on the exam,” Olivieria said.