Cape students recognized for Advanced Placement scores
Cape Henlopen High School this year saw the highest number in school history of students participating in Advanced Placement courses and taking AP exams. College Board released AP data in early July and sent scores to school administrators.
AP classes are offered to Cape High students in a variety of subjects including biology, chemistry, calculus, computer science, environmental science, European history, human geography, language and composition, music theory, physics, Spanish and statistics.
“We are proud to announce that we had 98 students score a 3 or higher on one or more of the AP exams,” said Kyle Bentley, assistant principal. “This is the highest number of students scoring a 3 or higher in school history.”
Over the last three years, the high school also had nearly a 102 percent increase in the number of students choosing to take Advanced Placement classes, with 116 participants in 2017 and 234 in 2019. “It’s great to see the students taking an interest in these courses,” said Bentley. “There was a total of 349 AP exams taken in 2019, which shows that a number of our students were taking more than one AP course at a time.”
The school also had increases in student subgroups participating in courses and taking AP exams. Three times as many Hispanic or Latino students took AP exams in 2019 compared with 2017. The number of African American students taking AP classes quadrupled from 2017 to 2019.
“We are thrilled with the diversity of the students participating in the AP courses, and we hope that increase continues in the future,” said Bentley.
High school teachers and administrators surprised the 98 students at their homes July 31. “Every year we make it a point to deliver special yard signs to those students who earn a 3 or better on the exams,” said Cape Principal Nikki Miller. “It’s our way of not only congratulating them, but letting everyone who drives by know that an amazing AP student lives there!”
Many U.S. colleges and universities will grant credit and/or let students who score a 3 or above on an AP course skip the equivalent subject course when they enroll.
