• INQUIRY-DRIVEN LEARNING

    Our learning at NeoCity Academy is driven by inquiry. It one of the tenets that our curriculum is built on allows us to deliver an educational experience that is uniquely NeoCity Academy. So, what is Inquiry-Driven Learning, you ask?

    Inquiry-driven learning is more than asking a student what he or she wants to know. It is about triggering curiosity - and activating a student's curiosty is a far more important and complex goal that mere information delivery. What inquiry-driven teachers do isn't easy at all; it's just hidden, and some people confuse the two. Teachers hide the strategies they use to encourage inquiry, and the students develop their own skills as content-area experts.

    According to the Harvard Business Review, a higher curiosity quotient can indicate more flexibility and help build a greater ability to handle complexity.

     

    WHY WE CHOOSE ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP)

    The Advanced Placement Program (AP) enables willing and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. The program consists of college-level courses developed by the AP Program that high schools can choose to offer, and corresponding exams that are administered once a year.

    Taking AP courses and exams can help students:

    • Stand out on college applications. AP courses on a student's transcript shows that they've challenged themselves with the most rigorous courses available to them. And success on an AP Exam shows that they're ready for college-level coursework.
    • Earn college credit and/or skip introductory courses in college. Most four-year colleges and universities in the United States - as well as many institutions in more than 100 other countries - grant students credit, placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores.

     GET INTO COLLEGE

    • Students who take AP courses send a signal to colleges that they're serious about their education and that they're willing to challenge themselves with rigorous coursework.
    • 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student's AP experience favorably impacts admissions decisions.

    SUCCEED IN COLLEGE 

    • Research shows that students who recieve a 3 or higher on AP Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher gradution rates that their non-AP peers. 

    SAVE TIME AND MONEY IN COLLEGE

    • Research shows that students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely that their peers to complete a college degree on time - which means they avoid paying for, for example, a fifth year of tuition.
    • Most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit, advanced placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. This can mean:
      • Fulfilling graduation requirements early
      • Being able to skip introductory courses or required general-education courses


    RECOGNIZED BY UNIVERSITIES WORLDWIDE, AP IS A GLOBAL CREDENTIAL

    Universities around the world reconize AP when making decisions, course requisites, and awarding university credit.

    Qualifying AP Exam scores earn university credit in nearly all universities in the United States and Canada and are recognized in 100 other countries worldwide. Scores of 3 or 4 on AP Exams fulfill admisssion requirments in many universities in UK and Europe. 

    Each college and university determines its own policies regarding AP Exam scores. For detailed information about the AP recognition policies of universities, use the searches below:

     

    HOW WE USE DUAL ENROLLMENT

    As stated previously, our students at NeoCity Academy are on a rigorous academic pathway that will take them on a trajectory toward competitive admission to a four-year college or university. 

    Because of student's advanced academic standing, we use Dual Enrollment (DE) differently than most of SDOC's comprehensive high school. Many schools use DE, particularly through Valencia College as a means to save tuition costs, access to college-level coursework, and an opportunity to earn college credit to get ahead. However, all of these boxes are checked through our students' enrollment in their AP courses. Research shows, our students' college applications will be more competitive by completing their AP coursework on our campus.

    However, should a NeoCity Junior or Senior have space in their schedule, we do offer DE opportunity through the University of Florida's program. You can find out more about UF DE, and opportunities for NeoCity Academy students here.