A culture of excellence: Award-winning number of EPHS students in AP courses

When 12th grader Alexa Bernardy graduates from Eden Prairie High School this June, she’ll be able to look back on an EPHS career that included nearly a dozen Advanced Placement (AP) courses. From calculus to microeconomics, biology to literature, Alexa has not only jumped right into college-level classes from the time she was a ninth grader, but she also explored a diverse variety of subjects at a high level. “I wanted to be challenged, and getting credit towards college while still in high school is a great opportunity,” she said. While Alexa is an outstanding example of Eagles taking advantage of the college-level opportunities at EPHS, she’s also far from the only one.

In January, the College Board announced that Eden Prairie High School had once again been named to its AP School Honor Roll, which acknowledges a high number of students in the previous year’s graduating class who took AP courses and earned high scores on AP exams. 58% of the Class of 2025 took at least one AP exam during high school; 42% scored 3 or more (a passing score) on at least one AP test; and 22% took five or more AP exams, with at least one of those taken in ninth or 10th grade. Those accomplishments earned EPHS silver-level recognition.

“It’s a huge testament to our students who take AP exams and AP courses, but also to our awesome teaching staff that teaches those courses and prepares students for exams,” said Kelsey Snyder, talent development programming specialist at EPHS. And the award doesn’t only recognize students for registering for challenging courses: “Honestly, what I am the most proud of is that the award is about the success of our students who do take AP courses and AP exams.”

Last year, Eagles at EPHS took 1,935 AP exams, 80% of which were scored at a 3 or above (a score for which many U.S. colleges and universities will grant college credit). Those statistics represented a four-year high in the number of students in AP courses, the number of tests taken, and the percentage and number of students achieving a score of 3 or higher. “Our kids who take AP courses — they have really high levels of success in those classes,” said Snyder. “For me, that’s what’s really cool, because if we’re going to do it, I want us to do it at a really high level.”

AP is only one of the many ways Eagles challenge themselves in college-level courses. Even more Eagles are involved in Postsecondary Enrollment Options, which allows students in grades 10, 11 and 12 to earn both high school and college credit through enrollment in and successful completion of certain courses at schools like University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Normandale Community College. AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a college and career readiness program designed to help students develop skills for college and beyond, with AVID students required to take at least one honors/college-level/advanced course each year they are in AVID. Students can also concurrently enroll in postsecondary institutions to earn college credit.

Though each of these options provides a different way for students to achieve college credit, a common outcome is that students develop skills that go far beyond remembering the structure of atoms or the names of past presidents. “[College-level courses are] a way — I think really importantly — to build academic skills, but also some life skills of time management, determination and grit, not giving up on yourself, how to handle challenges. It shows colleges and institutions your determination to push yourself and that you want to pursue a challenge,” said Snyder. In the numerous AP classes Alexa has taken, she has learned to take good notes and how to study for exams. “They have helped me learn how I learn best, which is going to be super helpful for college,” she said.

From Alexa’s perspective, the number of students involved in AP courses is not only a reflection of the ways EPHS students want to be challenged, but also of the dedication of teachers and staff. “AP classes are obviously challenging, but so many staff in the school are willing to put extra time in and help anyone who needs it,” she shared. “The amount of teachers I had that were willing to help kids study or do homework before or after school was incredible.”

For many years, Snyder was one of those teachers, preparing students for their exam in her AP U.S. History class. “From a teacher point of view, you’re so invested in students and in what they do, specifically in your course that’s right in front of you. Now in the role that I have, one of those things that’s actually super cool is I get to see kids through their full trajectory in all of the courses that they take,” she reflected. “Hopefully both through the skills and the experience of the course, but then potentially getting college credit, we’re setting them up on a trajectory to take them wherever they want in the world.”