The Sino-America Dual Diploma Program

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In May 2009 the Beijing Municipal Education Committee authorized the Beijing National Day School (BNDS) to integrate approved foreign courses into the national compulsory curriculum under the Sino-Foreign Educational Cooperation Program Act. In June of 2010 Wasatch Academy and BNDS started a Dual Diploma Program. BNDS was also registered with the College Board as a school that will provide the Advanced Placement (AP ) Program . BNDS was assigned a School Code # 694342.

Thus this joint venture will allow BNDS students to graduate with two diplomas, one from BNDS and the other from Wasatch Academy. Students enrolled in this Dual Diploma Program (DDP) will also prepare to sit for the AP exams in various subjects. Wasatch Academy, located in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, was founded in 1875 and provides a nurturing community that empowers young men and women to develop academically, socially, and morally, and prepares them for college and for the challenges of living in the 21st century. It was the winner of the Best of State Award for 2010 and 2011.

An American high school diploma from Wasatch Academy will be awarded based on the results of how the students do in the internal assessments by the AP Teachers.

In addition to the two diplomas, students will also be awarded certificates from College Board depending on how their scores on the AP examinations. The AP exams are conducted by the College Board.

The Three-Year Dual Diploma Curriculum

The first year of the program, offered to students of Senior I (Grade 10), is a pre-AP level set of courses which lays the foundation for the actual AP level courses which follow in the Senior II (Grade 11) and Senior III (Grade 12) years. During this first year, students will study pre-AP courses in English, Economics, Physics, and Chemistry, and Mathematics. It is expected that more courses will be added in subsequent years. .

We have found that the mathematical competence of students we have enrolled is usually high enough to handle Pre Calculus Mathematics in Grade 10, which may reflect a faster pace of middle school math education in China. In addition to their AP Subjects, students must also pursue certain Chinese national courses, including Chinese Language, History, Geography, Music and Physical Education. Students are also offered many optional classes.

In Senior II, Grade 11 those students who do well can sit for the AP Exams in English Language and Composition, Economics, Chemistry, Physics B, Calculus AB ,Calculus BC and Statistics. In addition, they study English at a level that is designed to raise their academic English to a very high standard as reflected on the TOEFL and IELTS exams. They also continue with subjects from the Chinese curriculum and optional classes.

In Senior III (Grade 12) those who did not register to sit for AP exams in Grade 11 will now be prepared to do so. In addition they can also take to take a higher qualification in mathematics (Calculus BC, Statistics or Computer Science ) and in Physics C.

Naturally, students tend to choose courses which give them a competitive edge in specific departments of high ranking universities. They will also continue with English instructions and subjects from the Chinese curriculum. At the end of Senior III, Students will have completed all the credit requirements for the Dual Diploma Program and they will be awarded two diplomas.

The College Board

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college readiness, college admission, guidance, assessment, financial aid and enrollment. Among its widely recognized programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), SpringBoard®, and ACCUPLACER®. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities and concerns.

The AP Program gives students a chance to try college-level work in high school and gain valuable study habits. If a student receives a qualifying grade on an AP Exam, there are thousands of colleges worldwide that will give him or her credit or advanced placement for his or her efforts.

The AP Examinations
The AP Examinations are conducted in May of each year. By the end of the first year, students will be advised as to whether their teacher recommends that they take the exams at the end of their second year or at the end of their third year at BNDS. This decision will be made in consultation with the parents and the student and will be based on the student’s strength in that particular subject and his/her future study plans at university. Some universities may specify the level of the AP course that is needed in order to get Advanced Placement Standing.

Guidelines on Students’ Choice of Exams

The AP Program does not require students to take an AP course before taking an AP Exam. Students may take as many AP Exams as they choose, with the following qualifications:

Students may not take both Calculus AB and Calculus BC within the same year;
A student may not take an exam more than once in the same year; however, a student may repeat an exam in a subsequent year. In such cases, both scores will be reported unless the student requests that one be withheld or canceled;

If a student wants to take two exams scheduled at the same time, he or she must take an alternate form of one of the exams during the late-testing administration.

Overview of AP Exam Scores

Each AP Exam score is a weighted combination of the student’s score on the multiple-choice section and on the free response section. The final score is reported on a 5-point scale. Although colleges and universities are responsible for setting their own credit and placement policies, AP scores signify how qualified students are to receive college credit or placement:

5 = Extremely well qualified
4 = Well qualified
3 = Qualified
2 = Possibly qualified
1 = No recommendation
The AP Program periodically conducts studies to compare the performance of AP students with the performance of college students in parallel courses. For most AP subjects, results indicate that:
·AP Exam scores of 5 are equivalent to grades of A in the ·college course.
·AP Exam scores of 4 are equivalent to grades of A-, B+ and B in college.
·AP Exam scores of 3 are equivalent to grades of B-, C+ and C in college.
In addition to academics, it is also important that students in the DDP are engaged in other activities. It is vital to have more than one interest or hobby. The students are encouraged to distribute their involvement in various activities in the following areas:
Community Service
Leadership Experience
Aesthetic Activity (Artistic/Creative)
Physical Activities
It is important to clarify that the admission to universities is decided mainly on the basis of the high school diploma and the transcript submitted for each student, as well as his or her involvement in other activities. The Grade Point Average (GPA) for each semester and the overall GPA will be a crucial factor in the admission decision. The scores on  AP Exams will be used to determine Advance Placement Standing. Hence, it is important that students in the Dual Diploma Program focus on doing well on the internal assessment conducted throughout the year. It is also important to note that the GPA will be based on all the courses taken at BNDS, and this includes the subjects studied in Chinese. Thus, students must ensure that they do not neglect these subjects.

How to apply

Direct Recruitment

Beijing National Day School direct recruitment, no other fee involved.