AP Capstone is an innovative program developed and offered through College Board in conjunction with other Advanced Placement accelerated coursework to give students the chance to develop further and cultivate a love for academic discourse. The two-year program combines research and analytic skills, critical thinking, and an interdisciplinary approach to enhance the learning in and between the various AP courses. Students who choose to complete the Capstone program will delve deeply into special topics of cross-curricular discussion relevant to today’s world, their local communities, and/or their school-specific academic interests.
Students who complete the program will have significant bodies of work in research areas, which may provide them with internship, research, and academic opportunities at the college level. Students gain skills to use this work to advance their scholarship, career, and personal educational goals. There will be options to apply for scholarship contests, professional publication, and conference-presentation (all great for college resumes!) embedded in the program’s coursework. For further information regarding how this program serves as a springboard for students into various college opportunities, see College Board’s website under their “AP Capstone” designated page (includes a list of participating colleges).
Students who complete both years of the Capstone Program with passing AP scores for AP Seminar (year 1) and AP Research (year 2) receive an AP Seminar and Research Certificate, signifying success in the program. Students who do so and successfully pass four other AP exams (in any subject) qualify for the AP Capstone diploma, signifying exemplary academic achievement and college-skill readiness. Students applying to colleges are strongly encouraged by College Board to use their research projects and individual interests as springboards for college admissions.