Walt Whitman HS Named To College Board's 2023 AP School Honor Roll

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, NY — Walt Whitman High School was named to the College Board 2023 AP School Honor Roll, earning bronze distinction, the district announced.

The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools that have done "outstanding work" to help more students enroll in AP (Advanced Placement) courses and support them on the path to college success. Of the more than 15,000 eligible schools across the U.S. and Canada, only 4,500 schools (30%) earned a place on the 2023 AP School Honor Roll at either bronze, silver, gold or platinum levels.

To make the AP School Honor Roll, a school must meet each of the following three criteria:

• College Culture: 40% or more of the graduating class took at least 1 AP Exam during high school. For Walt Whitman, it was 48%.
• College Credit: 25% or more of the graduating class scored a 3 or higher on at least 1 AP Exam during high school. Walt Whitman students far exceeded that at 41%. AP tests are scored on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high).
• College Optimization: 2% or more of the graduating class took 5 or more AP Exams during high school. At least 1 of those exams was taken in 9th or 10th grade, so that students are spreading their AP experience across grades rather than feeling disproportionate pressure in any single year. Once again, Whitman students exceeded that number at 22%.

Walt Whitman High School Principal Dr. John Murphy said the honor truly showcases the hard work and efforts of so many students and staff members at Walt Whitman High School.

"Our goal has been to provide challenging and rigorous coursework to our students, preparing them for post-secondary challenges that lie ahead, having them learn and get accustomed to the type of work expected once they leave the halls of Whitman," Murphy said in a news release. "Students being exposed to the AP curriculum allows them to be better prepared for their upcoming college experience."

Walt Whitman High School offers students 30 AP courses as well as 29 college credit courses through local colleges and universities. The culturally-diverse South Huntington School District has been nationally recognized for its Virtual Acceleration Program (VAP) that has proven successful in increasing diversity in the population of students who take AP courses or advanced college credit course work.

Taking AP courses demonstrates to college admissions officers that students have sought the most challenging curriculum available to them, and research indicates that students who score a 3 or higher on an AP Exam typically experience greater academic success in college and are more likely to earn a college degree than non-AP students.