What's poppin? 🎈📌 You've signed up for Seminar, one of the newest AP courses that serves as the first part of the two-part AP Capstone program. After passing AP Seminar and AP Research, in addition to four other AP exams, you'll earn the Capstone diploma!
This course is like no other AP class you've taken before; it is interdisciplinary and allows you to explore skills that are crucial for your success after graduation: research and argumentation.
Of course, that is a VERY simplified version of what you will be doing in AP Seminar.
We will be explaining the nuts and bolts of what AP Seminar is throughout this guide, but you may be wondering: is AP Seminar hard, and is it worth taking?
Is AP Seminar Hard?
This is likely the first question every student thinks whenever they find AP Seminar on their course registration. Let's look at it first from a quantitative perspective.
Score Distribution
Year
5
4
3
2
1
2020
6.4%
14.5%
59.7%
17.2%
2.3%
2019
6.8%
14.6%
59.3%
17.0%
2.3%
2018
7.9%
16.7%
57.6%
15.4%
2.4%
Generally speaking, around 81% of students pass the AP Seminar exam.
Workload
To be successful in AP Seminar, you have to stay organized. Different teachers choose different ways to teach this test, so there's no way to generalize the overall workload.
However, the point of the class is not to learn content and show knowledge of that content but to learn skills.
Just like the bookcase offers books of multiple lengths and genres, AP Seminar is very versatile and teaches you multiple skills! Image Courtesy of Pixabay
You will learn how to analyze and dig through a variety of different sources to pull out the main ideas, arguments, and evidence to support your argument.
The class may feel uncomfortable at first. If you like strictly right and wrong answers, you may struggle initially. However, as the course develops, those skills that you struggled with will become second nature.
Great Advice from Past Students
Here are some words of wisdom from some past AP Seminar students about the course!
"AP Seminar is not necessarily hard, but you need to be thoughtful and intentional with the work you do. You can’t just BS your essays and expect a high score. It takes time to craft a thoughtful and well-developed essay." —Yeidi Yuja 🤔
"AP Seminar is not hard if you stay on top of your work. If you fall behind, you’re going to be cramming, which doesn’t show your best work."—Aly Moosa 👑
Is AP Seminar Worth Taking?
The answer: absolutely! One of the best benefits of AP Capstone is gaining either the AP Seminar and Research Certificate 📜 (passing both classes) or AP Capstone Diploma 🎓 (passing both classes and 4 other AP exams). You can show this off to colleges and boost your college application!
There are several benefits you get out of AP Seminar:
Learning to synthesize sources and construct arguments (useful in other classes like the Histories and Lang/Lit).
Becoming a better reader, writer, and presenter, which will help you in the workforce or college.
But don't just take it from me—let's hear it from some other AP Seminar students:
"YES! However, I'd be more hesitant taking it as a junior or senior because you won't be able to use the AP Capstone Diploma on college apps, but either way, it's a FANTASTIC class that you learn a ton in." —Dylan Black 💻
"Absolutely! Not only did it help improve my public speaking/presenting skills, but it also taught me how to “research” and create a logical argument, building life and academic skills for the future." —Aly Moosa 🏗️
Wrap Up
So, is AP Seminar worth your time? Should you make room on your schedule for it? Yes! This class will give you the skills to succeed in other AP classes, college, and in the real world. You'll be glad you didn't cap on Capstone 😉.
The answer: absolutely! One of the best benefits of AP Capstone is gaining either the AP Seminar and Research Certificate 📜 (passing both classes) or AP Capstone Diploma 🎓 (passing both classes and 4 other AP exams
AP exams
Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are exams offered in United States by the College Board and are taken each May by students. The tests are the culmination of year-long Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are typically offered at the high school level.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Advanced_Placement_exams
Even if you don't go on to earn the AP Capstone Diploma, you will learn highly valuable critical—thinking and research skills in AP Seminar. Students who take it might place out of introductory college courses or earn college credits. AP Seminar can also help you avoid academic shock when you get to college.
The AP Capstone Diploma is increasingly recognized in admissions by higher education institutions around the world. Many colleges and universities offer credit and/or placement for a qualifying score in AP Seminar, AP Research, or both.
Alumnae reviews rate AP Seminar as moderately difficult but are divided on the usefulness of the course and skills developed. The course requires completion of a group project, and as such is not recommended by class alumnae for self study.
If your main goal is to improve your writing skills and critical thinking, AP Lang might be the better fit for you, as it directly focuses on analyzing and crafting effective essays and arguments.
Some students may find AP Seminar less difficult compared to other AP classes because the workload might be more manageable. However, others might find it challenging due to the emphasis on writing, collaboration, and public speaking. It mainly depends on your aptitudes and confidence in these areas.
Because Advanced Placement classes are typically graded on a weighted scale, students can receive a higher GPA. Instead of being graded on a scale of 1 to 4, students are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing an A.
According to a survey,the difficulty level of AP seminars is 5 out of 10. It is moderately difficult. The course has a higher pass rate than any AP class. In 2022, 88% of the students passed, with a 3 or higher score.
Students typically take AP Seminar in grade 10 or 11, followed by AP Research. Each course is yearlong, and AP Seminar is a prerequisite for AP Research. In both courses, students investigate a variety of topics in multiple disciplines. Students may choose to explore topics related to other AP courses they're taking.
The AP seminar is not so difficult. However, it takes more time than other AP exams, requiring essay writing and presentation work for the whole year. The AP seminar's real difficulty lies in the essay's synthesis. The AP seminar exam has only four questions: three short answers and one essay writing.
The AP Capstone Diploma is granted to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on 4 additional AP Exams of their choosing. The AP Seminar and Research Certificate is granted to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research.
For college-aspiring students, Seminar is a great class to take before the junior and senior options of AP Language, Literature and Research. For non-college aspiring students, however, AP Seminar is an advanced class that they don't need for their career path.
“Especially for kids who are required to take AP Seminar like Humanities & Arts and Science Capstone students, taking it in 10th grade really checks both of those boxes and frees up a period in 11th or 12th because it's two courses in one,” AP Seminar teacher Michelle Hanson said.
AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross- curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives.
Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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