The College Board recently announced that twenty-one Northfield High School students earned a passing score on one or more of the challenging Advanced Placement exams. Northfield students achieved passing scores on the Biology, Calculus, English Literature and Composition, Macroeconomics, United States History, and World History exams.

AP exams and courses offer college-level material to high school students. Those who pass the national exam each May are eligible to receive college credit or placement consideration. AP exams are scored on a five-point scale, with five being the highest; three or better is considered passing. Public, private, and home-schooled students all over the United States take AP exams. Though pass rates for each exam vary, approximately half the students who take them score a three or better each year. Earning a passing score on an AP exam is both difficult, even for good students, and a nationally recognized measure of academic excellence.

Juniors Zach Ward and Eli Diebold passed the U.S. History exam. Seniors Casey Elmer, Nathaniel Macijeski and John Triano passed in Biology. Senior Alecia Bassett joined Macijeski and Triano to pass Macroeconomics. Triano and Macijeski also passed the Calculus exam.

Nine seniors passed English Literature & Composition: Hannah Gleason, Kelsey Langley, Hilary Rogler, Jackie Sussman, Brook Townsend, and Kaley Warren, plus Bassett, Macijeski, and Triano. Nine sophomores earned passing scores in World History: Ben Albury, Micaila Baroffio, Molly Clark, Jonathan Davison, James Donahue, Keri Giguere, Andrew Leno, Jennifer Needle, and Kate Skinas.

Advanced Placement exams are among the most respected and recognized national measures of academic achievement in the United States. These students, their parents and their teachers deserve a pat on the back for reaching academic excellence beyond the high school level.