I was also introduced to veteran guidance councillor Karen Allen, who has vividly proven that my ideas about guidance counselling are about as archaic as they come. Stay tuned for further news on this remarkable woman in the months ahead.
During her 15 years in the field, Allen has helped Westmount High bring Quebec a program that virtually bursts through the education barrier, raising the bar and challenging students like never before. And for the fifth straight year last week, Allen’s high school saw students – most from Grades 10 and 11 – writing Advanced Placement exams that could see many of this year’s 42 participants garner early university credit in any of five disciplines: Calculus AB, English Literature, Psychology (these three being the most popular), French Language and Studio Art.
Westmount High is the only public school in Quebec to offer the Advanced Placement program and Allen has a lot to do with that. “I was at a doctor’s office and came across a Newsweek magazine from May 2003 that had an article about the best schools in the U.S. and one of the most impressive was the Bellevue School district in Washington (which was involved with the AP program) ,” she told me. Allen contacted their superintendent of schools and arranged to send a team over from Westmount High. Since starting the program, its success has been remarkable.
“People from around the world apply,” said Allen, explaining that students from other countries can take part while in Quebec on student visas. “And our university students can participate when applying for admission to American universities.”
The exams themselves, which are administered by Allen, are run by the College Board, which also runs the SATs and PSATs. “They are very popular in the States, because in effect they cut down on the cost of university tuition by allowing successful applicants to obtain credits while still in high school,” Allen pointed out.
Westmount High is the only public school in Quebec to offer the Advanced Placement program and Allen has a lot to do with that. -
Advanced Placement is accepted by more than 3,600 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced placement or both on the basis of successful AP exam grades. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a three or higher on AP exams (based on a scale from one to five, with five being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.
If you would like information on next year’s AP exams, contact Karen Allen at 514-483-7200, ex. 5961.
Time machine not required to find Cheap Thrills
During my teen years, just about everyone my age haunted downtown music haven Cheap Thrills, where you could find every imaginable record and knowledgeable staffers to sell them to you. I imagine the place was very busy during the “Summer of Love.” Well, believe it or not Cheap Thrills is still in business, located now at 2044 Metcalfe, north of de Maisonneuve (514-844-8988). They not only have all your coveted used and new CDs and LPs at great prices, they sell concert tix for the smaller venues without high surcharges. Surf over to www.cheapthrills.ca.
