AP Capstone - worth it?

[Anonymous]

This is probably a question for Wakefield parents. We are zoned for Yorktown but DC has been offered a spot at one of the lottery schools for next year.

Can you share more about the AP Capstone program and whether it really is any different than your child simply choosing to take a bunch of APs? They are starting it at Yorktown in the fall. Is it supposed to be similar to IB, for example in terms of being a unique progrram or pathway? Obviously it's different from HB or Tech, but as an in-school program was it worth it as a differentiator if your child did it at Wakefield?

TIA

[Anonymous]

There was some talk in the FCPS forum on AP Capstone ( a while back I think). It’s a good option to have, but from what I’ve read it is not necessarily considered the “most rigorous” AP academic path to take. Nor is it as big a differentiator as a full-IB candidate pathway. Hopefully a parent from Wakefield or FCPS can chime in.

[Anonymous]

Not in the area, but it's just 2 AP courses, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

I'm a Wakefield parent of a student currently in one of the two Capstone courses. The course is impressive, both in its overall design and execution specifically at Wakefield. The writing and research demands on my DC are appropriately high for an AP course normally taken junior/senior year, and I'm very pleased with the rigor.

My DC is going to be much more prepared for college-level research and writing because of this course. From my perspective, that makes it valuable.

It's two AP courses, and if you score 3 or above and take four more AP courses, you get an AP Capstone diploma.

[Anonymous]

No. Unless it's required to get into a special program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. Unless it's required to get into a special program.

Such as ?

[Anonymous]

My kid decided not to participate because he didn’t want to fill up his electives with the research and capstone classes. He’s more of a STEM kid though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Wakefield parent of a student currently in one of the two Capstone courses. The course is impressive, both in its overall design and execution specifically at Wakefield. The writing and research demands on my DC are appropriately high for an AP course normally taken junior/senior year, and I'm very pleased with the rigor.

My DC is going to be much more prepared for college-level research and writing because of this course. From my perspective, that makes it valuable.

It's two AP courses, and if you score 3 or above and take four more AP courses, you get an AP Capstone diploma.

I'd agree with this.
The AP Capstone "program" per se, I don't think, is a deal-breaker for colleges. However, since the research and writing are so minimal in APS' ELA program in general, I think the two capstone classes are very worthwhile for students planning to attend a 4-year university. They do "eat up" 2 elective opportunities, and if your student is an all-or-nothing kind of kid, they'll eat up more by focusing on getting enough additional AP classes (and scoring 3 or higher on all of the corresponding exams). But the seminar and research classes can be very worthwhile (skills development, confidence boosters) and the Research project doubles for the senior project required for graduation.

The ELA department has sought feedback from recent APS alumni and a common comment is that APS did not push enough reading and writing to prepare for the expectations in college.

[Anonymous]

Yorktown is starting capstone next year, so you should stay there.