The number of Ector County ISD students earning Advanced Placement and College Board recognitions increased this year. ECISD Trustees recognized 58 AP Scholars at its recent meeting, that number is up from 41 students last year. There are three levels of recognition in this program: AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, and AP Scholar with Distinction — which is the highest — each with its own qualifying standard. ECISD has students at all three achievement levels.
How does a student earn this type of award? At the conclusion of an Advanced Placement (AP) course, students are given the chance to take a corresponding AP exam on which they earn a score from 1 to 5, 5 being the best score. All public universities and colleges in Texas, and most private colleges and universities, offer college credit for a “Qualified” designation, which is a score of 3 or higher, a news release said.
At its upcoming meeting, ECISD Trustees will recognize another growing set of students, those who have received College Board National Recognition. This year 48 students received a total of 66 College Board awards, last year ECISD had 47 total awards. To qualify for any of these awards students must:
- Take the fall 2023 PSAT/NMSQT and score in the top 10% of test takers from their award program in their state or earn a score of 3 or better on 2 or more distinct AP exams in the 9th and/or 10th grade and earn a cumulative GPA of 3.3 (B+) or higher by the time of submission.
These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them stand out during the admissions process. It is a means to recognize the academic achievements of rural area/small town, African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous/Native American, and (new in 2024) first-generation students.
