The Advanced Placement Program (AP), administered by The College Board, offers college-level courses that are taught at local high schools by those high school teachers. In 1955 the AP program was initiated in the United States. Since then, approximately 8 million students have taken advantage of this program. The GJSD offers 13 Advanced Placement courses to its students. The AP program allows students to experience post-secondary coursework and its increased academic rigor while still in enrolled in the supportive environment of the high school. The advantages of taking AP courses for students are many:

• College credit can be given to students who pass the AP exam (passing is generally considered scoring three or higher out of five, though some schools only accept a four or a five score for credit).  
• Students master in-depth content at the college level more easily after completing AP courses by acquiring sophisticated academic skills and increased self-confidence in preparation for college.
• These courses offer an accelerated skill development curve, College breaks down into two main academic skills, mathematics and language, which spread into almost all other disciplines. AP classes will improve and fine-tune these abilities at a faster rate than college preparation or advanced courses by sheer quantity of information and higher expectations.
• Real college conditioning - students will be prepared for college as AP courses will mold students into college survivors by setting a higher pace and standard.
• Offers students a seamless pathway between high school and college.
• The Administration of Greater Johnstown High School reserves that right to require that all students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses take the AP exam for that course upon its conclusion.  All costs for the tests will be the responsibility of the student and parents.
• For Advanced Placement courses an extra 20% points will be added to the final course grade percentage.
  • (Ex. Final grade 92% plus 20% = 112% for GPA calculation purposes)

AP Courses

Greater Johnstown High School has an open door procedure for students enrolling AP courses.  This means interested students are permitted to sign up for an AP course during the creation of their schedule. GJHS staff will monitor student performance to provide an opportunity to thrive in an AP setting. If a student is not meeting expectations by the mid way point of the first quarter they will be removed from the AP section and placed in a regular section.

The following AP-College Board courses are offered GJHS:

• Biology – AP
• Calculus AB – AP
• Calculus BC - AP
• Chemistry AP
• English Language and Composition AP
• English Literature and Composition AP
• Physics C: Mechanics AP
• Psychology AP
• Spanish IV AP
• Statistics AP
• U.S. Government and Politics AP
• U.S. History II AP
• World History AP