Introduction

Read First: Important Information for all prospective students:

Advanced Placement European History is a college level class that requires students to approach it with an understanding and commitment to the rigorous standards that will allow them to pass the National AP exam offered by the College Board in May. It is the single-minded purpose of Mr. Ewart to prepare you to achieve the scores you will need to obtain college credit on that exam. Therefore, it is important to note that, because this is not a required course for graduation, the standards will not be lowered to meet any class median unlike most high school courses. Mark your calendars now:

2012 EXAM: FRIDAY, MAY11, 2012, 12:00 P.M. EDT

The format of the class will much more closely resemble a college class where there is more emphasis on lecture/notes, reading from primary sources and discussions about current topics (note here: lectures are teacher lead, discussions are student lead!). The “complete these two assignments by the end of class,” and “answer questions 2-5 in the text,” types of assignments are not given. At-home readings, long-term projects, practicing with DBQ’s, and direct prep for the test will be much more common. Although the number of assignments will be much smaller than the typical high school class, the weight of assignments on your grades will be greater.

I would encourage all of you to check out the College Board AP Credit Policy site to find out the scores required by your prospective colleges and how much credit you would receive at that college. In general, the “better” the school, the higher the required score - and the lower the credit rewarded. For example, if you are able to get a 3 or better at UMBC you get 6 credits which covers two 3 credit courses but at College Park you would need a 4 and then only get 3 credits – but a 5 would net you 6 credits. I have noted some peculiarities in this pattern though so I encourage you to look at your options. This type of information should help you reach a decision about what college you wish to attend.

With all that said, my intention is not to scare off students from taking this course. Rather, I want to make clear what I expect – and in turn what you can expect if you give the effort required. I certainly want the class to be an enjoyable experience for all of us…but if you are looking to “chill” perhaps there are better choices for you.