104 Rockdale County students named AP scholars

CONYERS, GA. – Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is honoring 104 students recently named 2023 Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars – including two AP Capstone Diploma recipients and one AP Seminar and Research Certificate recipient – for their outstanding performance on the 2022-2023 exams. This is an increase of 21 students from the previous year with all three of our high schools represented among AP Scholars. The percentage of RCPS students scoring 3 or higher also increased 5 percentage points over the previous year.

“I commend our Advanced Academics Coordinator and her outstanding team to include our gifted specialist, school counselors, school administrators, registrars, and especially our teachers for their unwavering commitment and dedication to ensuring advanced academic success,” said RCPS Superintendent Terry Oatts. “Over the last several years, we have seen consistent AP achievement gains with increased AP enrollment, increased AP course offerings, increased AP test takers, increased AP exam achievement, and increased number of AP Scholars identified.”

Each year, thousands of high school students across the world take AP exams. The College Board recognizes the hard work of top students through the awarding of several distinctions: AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Scholar with Distinction, and the AP Capstone Diploma.

Fifty-five RCPS students were recognized as AP Scholars. This distinction is given to students who receive a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. Of those, 49 were students at Rockdale County High School (RCHS), four attended Heritage High School (HHS), and two were students at Salem High School (SHS).

Eighteen RCPS students were recognized as AP Scholars with Honor, which is awarded to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken and score a 3 or higher on four or more of those exams. Of those, 16 were students at RCHS, and two were students at HHS.

Twenty-eight RCPS students were recognized as AP Scholars with Distinction, which is awarded to those students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams and score 3 or higher on five or more AP exams. These 28 students were at RCHS.

Two RCPS students earned the prestigious AP Capstone diploma. These two students attend RCHS. The AP Capstone is a diploma program based on two yearlong AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. Instead of teaching specific subject knowledge, AP Seminar and AP Research use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills students need for college-level work. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing receive the AP Capstone Diploma. 

One RCPS student earned the AP Research and Seminar Certificate.  Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.  This student attended RCHS.

All of these students are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to their education. Being recognized as an AP Scholar is an honor, and RCPS congratulates the following students: