Oldenburg Academy Posts Impressive Advanced Placement Scores

In the 2021-22 academic year, Oldenburg Academy offered more than a dozen AP courses.

(Oldenburg, Ind.) - Oldenburg Academy students continue to improve their standing in national Advanced Placement® (AP) pass rates. The Advanced Placement® program enables students to enroll in college-level courses and students who achieve a score of 3 or higher on an AP exam earn college credit at most universities.  

In the 2021-22 academic year, Oldenburg Academy offered more than a dozen AP courses.  In the majority of these courses, students surpassed both the state and national average by wide margins.  In particular, the English and Art departments earned excellent scores, achieving a 100% pass rate in AP Literature and Composition and a 93% pass rate in AP Language and Composition (national averages were 78% and 55% respectively).  In addition to these scores, all the OA students enrolled in AP 2-D Art and Design and 86% of students in AP Drawing earned passing marks.  Finally, AP United States History students earned a 67% pass rate compared to a national pass rate of 48%.  

Math and Science scores were impressive too.  The 2022 pass rate for Oldenburg Academy students taking the AP Environmental Science exam was 88% while the national average was 54%.  AP Biology students achieved a 75% pass rate, seven points above the national average of 67%.  Calculus AB and Computer Science A students tracked closely with the national averages of 55% and 67% pass rate and the sole student taking the AP Macroeconomics course earned a passing score. 

“I am so proud of our students and staff.  It is obvious by our scores that everyone was committed to putting in the necessary time and effort to be successful,” said Principal Angie Parmer.  “AP tests are hard, and students only have one chance to pass. Our teachers work tirelessly to get our students in the best position possible to do well on these college level assessments.  I love that the College Board is a nationally recognized program.  It is wonderful to know that no matter what college or university our students decide to attend or whether that school is in or out of state, many will be able to get course credit for passing their AP tests.” 

While OA is certainly celebrating its competitive scores, the school also recognizes that the AP program itself is extremely beneficial to enrolled students regardless of the score they receive.  According to Trevor Packer, Senior Vice-President of AP and Instruction at the College Board, AP teachers have long subscribed to the idea that the rigorous content of AP courses cultivates “a real boost in confidence and college readiness” in all their students.  In fact, Packer continues, recent “large scale research powerfully supports [these] teachers’ perspectives.”  The teachers and administration of OA are committed to producing students who will succeed in college and, as such, are encouraging more students to enroll in AP courses. 

In total, 62% of OA Juniors and Seniors took at least one AP exam, with nearly two-thirds of those students taking multiple exams.  In total, the school achieved an average pass rate of 85% on all exams, well above national and state averages.