Niles AP Calculus class exceeds national averages

Not only is taking AP Calculus good for the brain, it is also good for the wallet.

Just ask Niles High School graduate Matt Miller, who did well enough in the class that he will not have to take it at Michigan State University this fall.

He estimates it will save him more than $1,000 in tuition costs.

“It gave me three credits at Michigan State, which is a lot of money,” said Miller, who plans to study nutritional science. “That’s what helped out the most, other than it being good preparation for college.”

Miller is not alone.

According to teacher Tim Knoester, this past year’s AP Calculus class beat the national average for both enrollment in the course and performance on the test. To celebrate, he held a barbeque party with several of the students Tuesday.

“These kids had good high school teachers and good parent involvement,” Knoester said. “They recognize it is not a fad. AP Calculus has been around for decades and if you want to go to an elite university you almost have to enroll in AP Calculus. They expect you to take rigorous courses.”

Twenty-two students — or around 12 percent of the graduating class — took AP Calculus this past year at Niles High. The national average for enrollment is less than 10 percent.

At the end of the course, students take a four-hour test that determines how much they learned. Scores range from one to five with five being the best. Knoester said most colleges accept a score of three or higher as counting toward college credit.

Nearly 80 percent of Niles students scored a three or higher this past year, Knoester said, almost doubling the national average for percentage of students passing.

Class valedictorian Haley Rough is one of those students. She got a four, but not without a lot of hard work and effort.

“Although it was difficult and we all dreaded it I would tell any underclassman to take it because I feel so much more prepared for college,” said Rough who will be attending the University of Michigan this fall. “It was a lot more difficult than any class I’ve taken in high school.”

Rough and Miller both attributed the overall success of the class to having the opportunity to take practice tests and study outside of the classroom.

Knoester expects enrollment in AP Calculus to remain around the same this year. There is still time to enroll. It is primarily for seniors.