AP Courses and the AP Capstone Diploma Program

AP Courses: “College-Level Learning in High School”

Özel Ege Lisesi became the third member of the College Board in Türkiye and the first in İzmir during the 2013–2014 academic year. The College Board—known as the institution responsible for administering admission exams for U.S. universities—offers the Advanced Placement (AP) Program to high school students worldwide. Our school joined this program the same year.

The AP Program is an academic framework consisting of college-level courses and exams designed for high-achieving high school students. Through these courses, students acquire university-level knowledge and skills while still in high school.

AP exam results also allow students to earn university credits in certain Turkish institutions, as well as many universities in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Outside the U.S., nearly 60 countries recognize AP exam results in their admissions processes. Students may take exams in any of the 38 AP subjects offered by the College Board based on their intended university major.

As Özel Ege Lisesi, we offer 23 AP courses as of the 2021–2022 academic year. These courses are approved by the Turkish Ministry of Education and the Board of Education, meaning they appear on students’ official report cards and transcripts. Since our school is also an AP and SAT Test Center, students are able to take both exams on campus.

AP exams are scored on a 1–5 scale, and a score of 3 or above is considered a passing grade:

3 = Qualified

4 = Well Qualified

5 = Extremely Well Qualified

Students who score a 5 gain a significant advantage during university admission processes.

Since becoming a College Board member in the 2013–2014 academic year, Özel Ege Lisesi has consistently offered AP courses across a wide range of subjects. Nearly all of our AP students have achieved scores of 3 or higher.

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AP Capstone Diploma Program

Since February 2021, our school has incorporated the AP Capstone™ Diploma Program into its academic offerings, thus providing students with the opportunity to earn a dual diploma.

Özel Ege Lisesi is one of only three schools in Türkiye and 2,000 schools worldwide implementing the AP Capstone Program. As an AP testing center, our students also take their AP exams on campus. In line with student demand and evolving needs, we have increased the number of AP courses offered to 23. As with all AP courses, these are approved by the Ministry of Education and appear on students’ official transcripts.

The AP Capstone Diploma Program allows students to develop university-level skills in research, collaboration, communication, argumentation, and academic management. To complete the AP Capstone Diploma, students must:

- Successfully complete AP Seminar and AP Research (each a full academic year),

- Earn a score of 3 or higher on four additional AP exams of their choice.

Graduates who earn the AP Capstone Diploma become highly competitive applicants for international universities and gain improved access to scholarship opportunities.

AP Seminar

Usually taken in Grade 10 or 11, AP Seminar teaches students to evaluate complex topics from multiple perspectives, assess credibility of information, and develop argumentative writing and speaking skills. The course follows project-based learning principles.

A student’s AP Seminar score is determined by:

Research reports
Written assignments
Group and individual presentations
Performance tasks completed during the academic year

AP Seminar is a prerequisite for AP Research

Examples of topics explored in AP Seminar include:

The impact of sleep deprivation on academic performance
Use of musical rhythm and harmony in teaching
Environmental issues and sustainability
Justice and equality
The influence of public opinion on judicial decision-making

AP Research

Following AP Seminar, students take AP Research, where they design, conduct, and present an independent academic research project on a topic of their choice. Students develop advanced skills in research design, ethics, data collection, analysis, and academic writing.

Unlike AP Seminar, AP Research does not include a written exam. Instead, students are evaluated based on:

A university-level academic paper
A formal presentation
An oral defense

Examples of research themes include:

Food waste: problem analysis and proposed solutions
The future of the automotive industry
Youth voting behavior and civic participation
Relationship between mathematics and sports
Genetically modified organisms
The role of art in education
Income inequality