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4 Questions to Ask When Choosing Between AP Courses, Capstone

By U.S. News & World Report

The Advanced Placement Capstone diploma program, which will enter its second year of operation in the fall, is a recent addition to the course catalog at many high schools across the country.

The capstone program does not try to replace individual AP courses, but instead aims to supplement them. To earn the diploma, students must complete two newly designed AP classes. This includes taking AP Seminar as a sophomore or junior and AP Research in the following year. Students must also take any other four AP courses at any time in their high school careers.

AP Seminar and AP Research were developed with an eye toward instructing students in how to complete college-level work and not just learn college-level material. In the hands of the right instructors, they simulate college-level seminars and research projects.

[Discover the differences between AP and IB classes.]

However, since the AP Capstone is a relatively young program, many students may be unfamiliar with it and have questions about whether it would be better for them to complete the whole program, or to enroll in individual AP courses. If this describes you, here are four questions to ask yourself:

1. Can I handle the academic rigor of this program? The first question you should ask yourself is whether you can succeed in both the AP Seminar and AP Research courses, as well as four other required AP classes. Succeeding means earning a high grade in each course, as well as receiving a 3 or better on its end-of-year exam.

Although the prospect of completing six AP classes may be daunting at first, the best way to answer this question is to consider what you would have done before the release of the AP Capstone diploma. If you planned to take six or more AP courses, then AP Capstone may be a great option for you. If, on the other hand, you only planned to enroll in one or two AP classes in your strongest subject, then the AP Capstone diploma may not suit your academic needs.

[Get tips on selecting rigorous courses without AP or IB choices.]

2. Can I afford to pay for six AP exams? There is also the question of whether you can afford the testing fee for six AP courses. If you previously planned to take several AP classes, ensure that the amount you budgeted for exam fees will cover the whole AP Capstone diploma, or that you can afford the difference.

For 2015 to 2016 dates, the AP Seminar and AP Research exam fee is $139, and the fee for all other AP exams is $92. This means students and their families should be prepared to spend upward of $500 on the entire program. In certain instances, the College Board, as well as the federal and state government, may be able to significantly reduce the testing fee for qualifying students.

3. Can my schedule accommodate the AP Capstone diploma? Schedule availability is another important consideration . Both AP Seminar and AP Research are required yearlong courses for the AP Capstone diploma, so the equivalent of two two-semester classes must be cleared from your schedule to accommodate them.

Students who would otherwise take six or more AP courses, but feel that at least two of them are less important to their academic goals, may have the easiest decision. If there are two AP classes that you feel you can sacrifice to take AP Seminar and AP Research, consider doing so. You may even be able to focus your research paper on one of the subjects you dropped.

If, however, there are no AP courses you wish to sacrifice, then your decision may become much more difficult. For example, are you willing to set aside additional years of a foreign language or an additional science class for this program?

[Follow five keys to success in AP classes.]

4. Will my prospective colleges value the AP Capstone diploma? You should also give some thought to how your prospective colleges will view the curriculum. Since the diploma program is in its infancy, there is little evidence to judge how it will help or hurt students.

Schools may look at it as they do the more established International Baccalaureate program, or they may weigh it differently. For now, assess whether your sacrifices would look better on your application than the AP Capstone diploma would. If you are forced to set aside an entire subject of study such as fine art or foreign language to make room for the required courses, then you should ask yourself whether you will look like an accomplished or less well-rounded student.

Be sure to speak to your guidance counselor, parents and teachers, and to plan your schedule through senior year before you enroll in the AP Capstone program.

While AP Capstone has the potential to be a rigorous and rewarding diploma program for students, it is still very new, so care must be taken when deciding whether to enroll in it. Use these four questions as the starting point for your decision, but be sure to consider other factors, as well. This might include who is teaching each course and what you truly wish to study.

If taking on AP Capstone means abandoning a subject you love, consider whether individual AP classes might be better for you.

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4 Questions to Ask When Choosing Between AP Courses, Capstone originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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