ExcellenceWithoutAP.org

COMING SOON: "The Independent Curriculum Group: Schools That Do Not Teach To The Tests." Check back in the fall of 2008 for a new and improved web site.

A growing number of high schools, public and non-public, are re-thinking their relationship with the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program.  The schools listed below do not participate in the AP program, except to the degree noted by asterisk(s), where applicable. The schools listed below do not participate in any alternative standardized program, such as International Baccalaureate.  Varying numbers of students at these schools take AP exams, which are available to students regardless of whether their school teaches the AP curriculum. Your school not included? Click here.

Schools That Do Not Offer AP Courses (updated 7/20/08)

The Academy at Charlemont (MA) – www.charlemont.org   
The Bay School of San Francisco (CA) – www.bayschoolsf.org  
Beaver Country Day School (MA) – www.bcdschool.org  
Boston University Academy (MA) – www.buacademy.org  
The Bush School (WA) – www.bush.edu  
Calhoun School (NY) – www.calhoun.org  
Cambridge School of Weston (MA) – www.csw.org  
Carolina Friends School (NC) – www.cfsnc.org  
Catlin Gabel School (OR) – www.catlin.edu  
Chandler Preparatory Academy (AZ) – www.chandlerprep.org  
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (MD) – www.cesjds.org  
Community High School (MI) – www.chigh.org  
Concord Academy (MA) – www.concordacademy.org  
The Crefeld School (PA) – www.crefeld.org
Crossroads School (CA) – www.xrds.org  
The Dalton School (NY) – www.dalton.org  
Darrow School (NY) – www.darrowschool.org  
The Doane Stuart School (NY) – www.doanestuart.org  
Eagle Hill School (MA) – www.ehs1.org  
Fieldston School (NY) – www.ecfs.org  
Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School (MA) – www.parker.org  
Francis W. Parker School (IL) – www.fwparker.org  
Friends Central School (PA) – www.friendscentral.org  
Friends School of Baltimore (MD) – www.friendsbalt.org  
Friends Select School (PA) – www.friends-select.org  
Germantown Friends School (PA) – www.germantownfriends.org  
Hanover High School (NH) – www.hanoverhigh.us  
Haverford School (PA) – www.haverford.org  
Idyllwild Arts Academy (CA) – www.idyllwildarts.org  
The Key School (MD) – www.keyschool.org  
Lakeside School (WA) – www.lakesideschool.org  
Lawrenceville School (NJ) – www.lawrenceville.org  
Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School (NY) – www.lrei.org  
Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LA) – www.lsmsa.edu  
Mesa Preparatory Academy (AZ) – www.mesaprep.org  
Midland School (CA) – www.midland-school.org  
Norfolk Academy (VA) – www.norfolkacademy.org  
New Roads School (CA) – www.newroads.org  
The Northwest School (WA) – www.northwestschool.org  
Oldfields School (MD) -- www.oldfieldsschool.org  
Phillips Exeter Academy (NH) – www.exeter.edu  
Providence Academy (MN) – www.providenceacademy.org  
Putney School (VT) – www.putneyschool.org  
Regents School of Austin (TX)* – www.regents-austin.com  
St. Andrew's-Sewanee School (TN) – www.sasweb.org  
St. Paul Academy and Summit School (MN) -- www.spa.edu  
St. Paul's School (NH) – www.sps.edu  
St. Stephen’s Episcopal School (TX) – www.sstx.org  
Sandia Preparatory School (NM) – www.sandiaprep.org  
Scarsdale High School (NY) – www.scarsdaleschools.org  
School of the Future (NY) – www.sof.edu  
Shady Side Academy (PA) ** – www.shadysideacademy.org  
Solomon Schechter School of Westchester (NY) *** – www.solomon-schechter.com  
The Spence School (NY) – www.spenceschool.org  
Tempe Preparatory Academy (AZ) – www.tempeprep.org  
University of Illinois Laboratory School (IL) – www.uni.uiuc.edu  
University Preparatory Academy (WA) – www.universityprep.org  
Urban School of San Francisco (CA)**** – www.urbanschool.org  
Veritas Preparatory Academy (AZ) – www.veritasprepacademy.org  
Waynflete School (ME) -- www.waynflete.org  
Westtown School (PA) – www.westtown.edu  
White Mountain School (NH) – www.whitemountain.org

*Offers AP in Latin
** Offers AP in Foreign Language
*** Offers AP Calculus AB
**** Offers AP in Chemistry and Calculus AB and BC

NOTE -- The above is not intended as a comprehensive list of the schools without AP courses. About 40 percent of the schools in the U.S. do not teach AP. The list consists primarily of those schools without AP that send a significant percentage of students to selective colleges. Any school without AP courses is welcome to join the list. Click here.

The Movement Beyond AP

Prior to 2000, only a handful of schools catering to ambitious college-bound populations did not participate in either the AP or IB program.  A hardy group of perhaps two dozen independent schools abstained.  In the public sector, Hanover High School in New Hampshire was among the very few schools to eschew AP.

Independent Schools

In 2002, Fieldston School set off a national conversation with a high-profile announcement that it would drop the AP program.  (See “High School Drops Its A.P. Courses, And Colleges Don’t Seem to Mind,” February 1, 2002, at www.nytimes.com. The article is available free in the Times’ archive.)  Fieldston made the move partly in response to a student’s essay, which lamented the fact that faculty-created elective courses had low enrollment because students thought AP courses would look better to colleges. 

Since Fieldston’s decision, independent schools that have dropped AP include Concord Academy (MA), Crossroads School (CA), Dalton School (NY), Haverford School (PA), Oldfields School (MD), and Westtown School (PA), among many others. 

The College Board’s recent implementation of its AP Audit has prompted more schools to consider dropping AP.  Read about the audit at:  http://www.collegeboard.com/ap_course_audit/index.html

Public Schools

The Scarsdale School District is the most prominent public district to drop AP in recent years.  After a highly public debate, Scarsdale made the decision in spring of 2007 to replace APs with home-grown advanced courses. (At www.nytimes.com, see “Scarsdale Seeks Alternative to Advanced Placement,” February 18, 2007; and “Demoting Advanced Placement,” October 4, 2006.)

Charter Schools

A number of charter schools – public schools that are managed independently of local school districts – have chosen not to embrace the AP program or any other standardized curriculum. Especially noteworthy are the Great Hearts schools of the Phoenix area, which include Veritas Preparatory Academy, Chandler Preparatory Academy, Mesa Preparatory Academy, and Tempe Preparatory Academy.  Three of the four were founded in the past six years.  The Great Hearts schools offer a required liberal arts curriculum that includes fine arts, poetry, two years of physics, strong emphasis on Western culture, and a required senior thesis.

About This Site

ExcellenceWithoutAP.org is created and maintained by Bruce G. Hammond, Director of College Counseling at Sandia Preparatory School in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Steering Committee

Christine Asmussen, St. Andrews-Sewanee School (TN)
John Boshoven, Community High School (MI)
Peter Gow, Beaver Country Day School (MA)
Peter Jennings, Concord Academy (MA)
Barbara Leifer-Sarullo, Scarsdale High School (NY)
Karen Taylor, Regents School of Austin (TX)
Susan Tree, Westtown School (PA)
Anne Weeks, Oldfields School (MD)