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The AP Capstone Diploma is a two-part AP programme consisting of AP Seminar and AP Research. Importantly, however, to receive the AP Capstone Diploma students must also earn scores of three or higher in four additional AP classes. Candidates who earn threes in AP Seminar and AP Research but not in four additional AP exams will receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, but not the AP Capstone Diploma.
Both AP Seminar and AP Research are yearlong courses, with AP Seminar generally being taken in Grade 10 or 11, followed the following year by AP Research. AP Seminar is a prerequisite for AP Research: AP Research cannot be taken without it.
The AP Capstone Diploma is a challenging certificate to attain. At BartyED, we can provide you with a tutor to support you across the different elements of the AP Capstone Diploma.
Common AP Capstone challenges
Excelling across varying assessment requirements
To achieve the AP Capstone Diploma candidates must perform highly in a variety of APs. Here at BartyED, our team of expert AP Capstone tutors can help you achieve in both AP Seminar and AP Research, and in your other APs contributing to the Diploma.
Adapting to unexpected presentation questions
One of the most daunting elements of AP Capstone is the post-presentation questioning. Both AP Seminar and AP Research requires candidates to defend their thesis, meaning that they must respond to questions that they have not prepared for. A BartyED AP Capstone tutor can provide you with the opportunity to simulate the ‘defending’ process, spontaneously answering questions in a no-stakes environment. With indivudalised feedback students can develop both the quality of their answers, and their confidence in constructing them.
Selecting a research question
Deciding on a research question can be one of the most challenging aspects of AP Seminar and AP Research. A BartyED AP Capstone tutor guides students through their research, helping them to construct a focused and sophisticated research question that enables them to produce high-level discourse.
Employing high-level academic research skills
AP Capstone demands advanced researching, writing, and citing skills. As a preparatory step before college, the course requires students to engage with independent research in a way that they may have never before. BartyED tutors hold degrees from top institutions, and are well-versed in producing sophisticated research. A BartyED AP Capstone tutor can help you attain the research skills required to succeed both in AP Capstone and beyond.
BartyED ensures high-quality AP Capstone tutoring
From our strict hiring process, through our comprehensive on-going tutor training, BartyED places a strong emphasis on teaching quality. Our reputation for rigour is at the heart of what we do.
3-phase hiring process
Our 3-phase hiring process consists of a structured interview with Jerome, a written exam across proposed subject areas, and an engagement session to assess teaching style.
A strong CV is not enough: candidates need to demonstrate strong subject knowledge, resilience and adaptability. We place our bar deliberately high in the full knowledge that most candidates will fail. Our students will benefit from the strong communication skills and pedagogical passion of the best applicants.
Rigorous training programme
Once hired, candidates undergo a six-month training programme to ensure deep subject and curriculum knowledge. This is conducted by our Heads of STEM and English/Humanities, and overseen by our Director of Studies.
The IB examiners know their own curriculum, so it's essential that we do, too. Our training programmes are designed to instil strong academic rigour, and consistent teaching across subjects.
On-going professional development
Whether in IBO-led workshops on the latest changes to the Extended Essay marking criteria, or knowledge sharing across the team in informal sessions to improve our support of SEN students, BartyED's IB tutors enjoy continued professional development.
International curricula like the IBDP, AP, A-Levels and IGCSEs are subject to change and adaptation. It's essential for teaching quality that our IB tutors are ready and aware of all developments so we can maintain our exemplary support of all students.
THE BARTYED DIFFERENCE
Why BartyED for AP Capstone Tutoring
Experienced researchers
BartyED’s professional AP Capstone tutors are recruited from top research institutions such as Oxford, Yale, Columbia, and Durham. Tutors mentor students through the researching, drafting and editing phases of their work, guiding them on how to produce compelling, defensible arguments.
Support across all aspects of AP Capstone
The team at BartyED comprises of a diverse range of tutors who specialise across a variety of subjects. This range of expertise enables BartyED to support students not only in AP Seminar and AP Research, but also across the other APs contributing to the AP Capstone Diploma.
Essay, presentation, and exam technique for AP Seminar and AP Research
A BartyED AP Capstone tutor can support AP Capstone candidates throughout every element of their course: helping design research questions, draft essays and presentations, edit and refine essays, and practice the delivery of presentations and oral defenses. BartyED’s AP Capstone tutors support students from the very beginning of AP Seminar and to the very end of AP Research.
Personally vetted by Jerome, our Managing Director
The BartyED hiring process is rigorous, with tutors sitting exams and completing an engagement session with Jerome and Hannah ahead of joining the team. This multistage process ensures that every BartyED tutor is both a subject specialist and an able communicator. These two skills allow AP Capstone students to be well supported across both the written and presentation examinations of the AP Capstone course.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
Success stories
Our students have gone on to Oxford, Edinburgh, UCL, Duke, Brown, and Harvard.
How AP Seminar is Graded
AP Seminar consists of two project-based tasks and one final exam. Students are required to work both individually and collaboratively across different sections of the course, developing their research, writing, and presentation skills. Like all APs, candidates receive an overall grade out of 5.
Team Project and Presentation
20% of the overall grade, students work in teams of three to five to identify, investigate and analyse an academic or real-world issue. The component is made up of two parts.
- Each team develops a research question, and every individual must produce a 1,200 word Individual Research Report (50% of the component). The team then considers every Individual Research Report, synthesising and evaluating the material to decide on a proposed solution or resolution.
- This solution/resolution is then presented in a multimedia presentation of 8–10 minutes long. The group must then defend their presentation as their teacher poses questions; each student must respond to one question. The presentation and question responses makes up the final 50% of the component.
Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation
35% of the overall grade, and consisting of three parts.
- First, students must use the stimulus materials supplied by the College Board plus their own research to develop a 2,000 word essay (70% of the component).
- Secondly, candidates must develop an 6–8 minute presentation to present their perspective and conclusions (20% of the component).
- Finally, students must defend their research by answering two questions that they have not prepared for (10% of the component).
End-of-Course Exam
2 hours long and 45% of the overall grade. The exam consists of two parts:
- Three short-answers questions (30% of the component), in which students must analyse an argument using evidence.
- One essay question, in which students must build their own argument using two of the four sources provided.
How AP Research is graded
AP Research requires students to complete an extended research paper across the course of a year. Students are recommended to begin preparation for AP Research in the same May that they complete their AP Seminar course. Following the completion of their research paper, candidates must deliver presentations and an oral defense on their research. Like all APs, candidates receive an overall grade out of 5.
Academic Paper (College Board Scored)
75% of the overall grade, requiring students to research and write a year-long, in-depth study, culminating in a 4,000–5,000 word essay.
Presentation and Oral Defense (Teacher Scored)
25% of the overall grade, consisting of a 15–20 minute presentation, followed by three or four unprepared questions from a panel of three evaluators.
WHAT WE COVER
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The AP Capstone Diploma is a qualification offered by College Board. To obtain the Diploma, students must achieve a grade of 3+ in both AP Seminar and AP Research, as well as four other AP subjects.
In order to be awarded the AP Capstone Diploma, students must take both AP Seminar and AP Research. AP Seminar is also a prerequisite for AP Research. However, AP Seminar can be taken independently and is a great opportunity to develop a student's research skills.
AP Seminar is made up of three components, each of which contains sub-components.
Component 1 — Team Project (20% of the overall grade):
- Students write a 1,200 word individual research report on the problem or issue chosen by their group.
- Groups use these individual research reports to construct a multimedia presentation on their findings and proposed solutions.
- Each individual answers one question asked by the teacher that they have not prepared for.
Component 2 — Individual Project (35% of the overall grade):
- Students develop a 2,000 word research paper using the stimulus materials provided by the College Board.
- Candidates present their paper in a 6–8 minute presentation.
- Students answer two unprepared questions to defend their work.
Component 3 — Exam (45% of the overall grade):
- Test-takers answer three short answer questions where they analyse an argument.
- Candidates construct an argumentative essay using two of the four sources provided.
AP Research is made up of two parts. Students must first research and write a 4,000–5,000 word paper, which contributes 75% of the grade. Then candidates present their research to a panel of three evaluators in a 15–20 minute presentation, before answering three or four unprepared questions. The presentation and oral defense contributes the final 25% of the grade.
Yes. AP Seminar and AP Research are separate qualifications. Students must achieve a 3+ in both, as well as four other APs, in order to obtain the AP Capstone Diploma. If students achieve a 3+ in both AP Seminar and AP Research, but not in four other APs, they are awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.
The multiple elements required to achieve the AP Capstone Diploma make it a long-term, challenging programme. However, with the right guidance, students gain invaluable research skills throughout the course, developing their ability to construct, write, and present a developed, defensible thesis.
AP Capstone is very helpful to college applicants. Obtaining the AP Capstone Diploma is a sign of academic achievement and rigour, indicating to college admissions officers that the candidate has the research skills required to succeed in college.
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