What is the AP Capstone Certificate?

Hey guys, I heard about this thing called the AP Capstone Certificate and I was wondering if anyone here has more information about it. How does it work and what do you need to do to earn it? Is it worth pursuing? Thanks!

The AP Capstone Certificate is a program offered by the College Board that aims to develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills through two specific courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. To earn the AP Capstone Certificate, you must successfully complete both of these courses and score a 3 or higher on the respective AP exams.

AP Seminar is usually taken in your sophomore or junior year and focuses on analyzing and evaluating different perspectives on complex issues. You'll work individually and in teams to research, present, and defend arguments based on various sources. The AP Seminar exam consists of two parts: a team project and presentation (evaluated by your teacher) and an end-of-course written exam.

AP Research, typically taken after completing AP Seminar, requires you to conduct an in-depth research project over the course of a year. The project culminates in a 4,000-5,000-word academic paper and a presentation with an oral defense. There is no formal AP exam for AP Research; instead, your research project and presentation are assessed.

Earning the AP Capstone Certificate can be beneficial for college applications, as the curriculum requires you to demonstrate your ability to engage in rigorous, college-level work that showcases your critical thinking, research, and communication skills. Of course, these skills will also set you up to succeed once you arrive on your college campus.

However, keep in mind that completing the AP Capstone program may have more weight for certain subjects than others. If you're interested in doing humanities-related research, for example, the program could be beneficial for you, but if you're interested in a more quantitative field, like physics, you'd likely want to take the AP in that subject area instead.

Ultimately, the value of pursuing the AP Capstone Certificate depends on your academic goals, interests, and the time you're willing to commit to the program. To learn more about it, and whether it's a good fit for you, you can check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/ultimate-guide-to-the-ap-seminar-course-and-exam

You can also always ask the teacher(s) and older students for their thoughts, as they can give you the most personalized advice. I hope you find this information helpful!