Scarsdale

Frequently Asked Questions about the Advanced Topics (AT) Program

General Overview

What is an AT class? Why doesn't Scarsdale have AP classes? What is the difference between SHS’s AT classes and traditional AP classes?

Advanced Topics classes are designed to engage students in college-level coursework in ways that encourage deep thinking and student exploration, while covering concepts, terminology, and habits of mind specific to each discipline. 

AP courses have rigid, often inflexible curricula that limit the range and depth of what is taught, and each curriculum is tailored to a culminating exam that rewards test-taking strategies rather than complex critical thinking. In contrast, the AT Program allows teachers to design courses that are tailored to student interest and that foster student agency. Students in AT courses are able to pursue approaches and inquiries that, relevant and useful in high school classes, are also essential precursors to the kind of work that they will encounter and be expected to master in college.

What AT courses does SHS offer and what year can they be taken?

Scarsdale offers the following Advanced Topics courses:

2-D Studio Art

3-D Studio Art

Art History

Calculus AB

Biology

Calculus BC

Chemistry

Computer Science

English

Entrepreneurship

French Language

International Political Economy

International Politics and Economics: Global Issues in the 21st Century

Linear Algebra

Mandarin

Macroeconomics with American Government and Politics

Music Theory

Physics (Mechanics)

Psychology

Spanish Language

Spanish Literature

Statistics

United States Constitutional Law

United States Government and Politics with Economics

United States History and Government

Most AT courses are designed for students in the twelfth grade. AT courses in U.S. History, Psychology, and Statistics are often taken by students in eleventh grade.  

Are there rules as to how many AT courses students can take in any year?

Course schedules are designed to match student strengths and preferences. The overall course load for a student is designed with the student’s counselor to optimize that student’s likelihood for success.

Does the same AT course differ depending on who is teaching it? Is there a common syllabus for each course?

For each AT course, there is an agreed upon list of goals and competencies to be covered by all teachers teaching the course. Individual teachers may emphasize different topics depending on the students’ skill needs and interests, and their design of the instructional and assessment activities may reflect their individual pedagogical decisions.

If my child is placed in an AT course and then finds it too difficult, can they drop down as they can for regular SHS classes?

A student can drop AT courses with the permission of the teacher, their parents/guardians, their dean, and the principal. Where there is an analogous course at a lower level of study, it is possible to enroll in that course after dropping the AT course.

Eligibility

How and when is admission into AT classes determined?

Admission into AT courses is based on course prerequisites, prior grades, and teacher recommendations. In some cases, a placement test is also used to determine eligibility for AT placement. These decisions are made in the spring, well before the academic year begins.

Is there an appeals process for the decision?

Yes. the student can appeal for a reconsideration if they believe that there was an error made in the determination.

What if my child is not admitted into an AT class but really wants to challenge themselves and try—can they be given the chance?

Only students who are deemed eligible for enrollment in AT courses are allowed to take these courses.

AP Exams

Does my child have to take the AP exam for a related AT course?

No. No AT course requires students to take an AP exam.

Will AT courses prepare my child to take the AP exam?

In many cases when AT courses that have AP analogs, there is considerable overlap between the two courses. However, as AT courses are not AP courses, there may be some divergence as well. 

Will the AT course cover all the material on the AP exam and, if not, will teachers hold out-of-class preparation sessions to cover this material? How will my child find out about these sessions?

Teachers of AT courses with AP analogs will identify for students the topics required for the AP exam that are not covered in the AT course, as well as strategies to learn this material independently. Teachers will offer review sessions in the days leading up to the AP exam and will inform their students of the schedule.

How are these out-of-class review sessions scheduled? What if my child has after school activities?

In most cases, review sessions will be held after senior classes are over (during Senior Options) when the class would have normally met. In some cases, teachers schedule optional sessions after school as well. Students receive a reduction in hours required for Senior Options to allow them to prepare for each AP exam they register for.

Will preparing for the AP exam be a big burden for the students?

Feedback from students as well as data from our AP exam results indicate that students do well on AP exams they decide to take.

Are there other ways for students to get college credit?

Students who wish to earn college credits before attending college will likely sit for AP exams for related SHS classes. SHS allows students to take AP exams for any course, whether they are enrolled in the AT analog or not. A student’s dean will be able to advise whether other pathways to early college credits are appropriate given an individual student’s goals.  

College Admissions

How do colleges view our AT classes versus AP classes?

Colleges evaluate student transcripts on the basis of what courses are available for students to take. Courses designated as the most rigorous by any given school are considered as such regardless of whether they are labeled AT or AP. Colleges are very familiar with Scarsdale’s course offerings and understand the rigorous, robust nature of AT courses.

 Will not having AP classes hurt my child’s chances for college admission?

Our students’ college placements remained consistent before and after the implementation of the Advanced Topics program, and that consistency has continued in the many years since. 

Is it better for my child to take an AT class and get a B or to take a regular class and get an A? How do colleges feel about this?

This type of decision is best made by the student in consultation with their parents/guardians and dean. Many factors need to be considered, such as intended major, previous performance in the discipline, etc.

In some other school districts, students start taking AP classes earlier in high school than our students at SHS take AT classes. How does that affect college admissions?

Again, colleges evaluate student transcripts based on what is available for the student to take. If tenth-graders cannot take AT courses, it is not held against them when their transcripts are evaluated. SHS also offers a variety of honors-level and accelerated-level courses throughout the four year high school sequence.

Should my child take as many AT classes as they can?

The decision about whether to take any one or more courses in the Advanced Topics program is best made by the student in consultation with their parents/guardians and dean.

Some college applications specifically ask to list or count your AP classes. How should our AT students respond to those questions?

Our profile clearly articulates what our highest levels are. If a school is asking for specific questions beyond that, their individual dean could provide counsel on how to best address that.