The AP Capstone

Should I register for AP Capstone?

AP Capstone is a recent addition to the AP Course offerings. Together with other requirements to earn an AP Capstone Diploma, the course is to help students build skills important for success in college classes.
This program offers an opportunity for recognition of achievement in AP classes, for the development of skills important to college success, and for building content knowledge in core subject areas, there are some potential disadvantages – but there are also potential disadvantages. These include less flexibility in your course choices, and possibly missing an opportunity to explore academic or career areas that fall outside of the AP course options (such as marketing, nanotechnology, or business law).

How do I know if AP Capstone is right for me?

If the AP Capstone is offered at your school (see the list here), consider these questions as you decide if it is a program you should pursue:

• Do I have room for it in my schedule without sacrificing advanced classes in other core subject areas?
• Do my educational goals include high levels of research and/or presentation?
• Am I excited and motivated by the thought of applying content I have learned in other classes to finding solutions to real-world problems?

Much like the recommendations in our AP or IB – Which Do Colleges Prefer? post, whether or not the program is the best course of action will depend on the each student’s individual qualities and goals. To learn more about how curriculum and other factors affect college selection and admission, initiate a discussion with your CPSi consultant at your next meeting.