Purpose of Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement (AP) is a nationwide program designed to prepare secondary students for higher education. LWSD offers a variety of AP classes that provide rigorous, college-level curriculum in various subjects and the opportunity to earn college credits or advanced college standing. AP classes and testing are open to all high school students (grades 9-12) in Lake Washington School District (LWSD) and are taught by AP teachers trained to instruct their AP course.  

In May of each year, towards the end of AP courses, students are eligible to take an AP test for college/university credit. Please note that although all students are encouraged to take the AP exam for each course, it is not a requirement for enrollment, high school credit or grade in the class. 

The AP Experience   

Taking AP classes in high school helps students prepare for college-level academics.   

The benefits of taking AP classes include:  

• Increased academic rigor in line with college/university courses   
• Deeper exploration of a course’s content knowledge Ad 
• Development of higher-level research, analysis, and critical thinking skills  
• Ability to get a head start on college requirements by earning college/university credits

Receiving college credit for AP through AP exams

Students who meet all performance standards on AP exams may be eligible to receive college credit. Colleges determine if credit or advanced standing is granted based on their institutional policies. Many colleges and universities worldwide recognize AP achievements and grant credit.

Graduation pathways requirement

Students have the opportunity to meet the graduation pathway requirement by earning a C+ in an identified AP course or scoring 3 or higher on the AP exam.

NOTE: AP courses are indicated throughout the catalog with "#" before the course title.   

More information about AP   

AP courses and descriptions are listed in each school’s course catalogue which is posted on the school website. Not all AP courses are offered at all schools. For specific course and enrollment information, students should contact their school counselor. For general information about AP courses and exams, visit CollegeBoard.com  

*AP Exams offered each year are based only on courses offered that academic year by the district. AP courses vary at each high school. 

Chinese Language, German Language, Italian Language, Latin Language, African American Studies and Spanish Literature & Culture are not courses LWSD currently offers and will therefore not have exams offered for these content areas. 

• Receive a JOIN CODE from your teacher. 
• Enter this JOIN CODE on College Board’s MyAP Classroom for each exam you are planning to take. 
  
  Students who are self-studying for an AP exam should reach out to their school’s AP Coordinator for an ‘Exam Only’ join code. 
  
  Students who are testing with accommodations should reach out to their school’s AP Coordinator for an ‘ATC’ join code. 

Step 2: Pay for your exam at your school. 

• Payments can be made with cash, check or credit card with your school’s Bookkeeper or online through the LWSD payment site at https://payments.lwsd.org/. 
• Please see your school’s AP Coordinator if you qualify for financial assistance 

Both steps must be completed by October 31, 2023, 11:59 p.m. 

Incomplete registrations will result in an exam not being ordered. 

Students who miss the October registration and payment window will have the opportunity to order and/or pay during the late registration window. This will incur a $50 late fee per exam. 

 

 

Late testing  

Occasionally, circumstances make it necessary for students to take an exam during the late testing window. To preserve the security of AP Exams, alternate versions of the exams are used for late testing. All students who participate in late testing must take these alternate exams on the scheduled late-testing dates at the scheduled times.   

Late exams take place at the LWSD Resource Center and transportation must be provided by the student.  

There will no longer be the opportunity for Late Exception testing. Please look carefully at the above exam schedule so that you are not signing up for multiple exams given on the same day/time. 

Testing with accommodations 

Students should contact their school’s SSD Coordinator for assistance in applying for accommodations to be used with College Board AP Exams. 

Students using accommodations will receive a separate join code for registration purposes. 

Accommodations testing takes place at the LWSD Resource Center (Alternate Testing Cohort). LWSD Resource Center: 16250 NE 74th Street, Redmond, WA  98052. 

Transportation must be provided by the student.  

What is College Board?

College Board develops and administers standardized tests and curricula to promote college-readiness and as part of the college admissions process. 

https://collegeboard.org/

https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/how-accommodations-work/for-each-test/ap-exams

https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/