Local News - September 2003

Student aces AP test

Published September 1, 2003

SARAH GRANO, Staff Writer

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Receiving the highest score possible on an Advanced Placement Biology test is an impressive feat for any student.

Ashley Mason, a former East Lincoln High School student, aced the college level test without taking the course.

 “I thought it wasn’t a good idea at first to take the test without having the class, but it turned out I was really well prepared for it,” said Ashley.

Ashley had some preparation for the test from taking Honors Biology and Anatomy and Physiology.

She had wanted to take AP Biology at East Lincoln her sophomore year, but the school had dropped the course.

“She really wanted to take the AP biology class, and she was ready for it, but it wasn’t offered,” said her mother, Sandra Mason.

“They dropped it because they had concluded there wasn’t enough interest.”

Instead of taking AP Biology, Ashley spent four Saturdays studying the subject for two to three hours.

After a month of studying, she was ready for the exam.

“Since I was the only one from East Lincoln taking the test I got the whole room all to myself and two proctors watching me,” said Ashley.

“I thought I would pass, but I didn’t think I would get a really great score.”

Ashley received a score of five out of five. Three is the lowest passing score.

Ashley credits AP Biology cliff notes and her science teacher, Debbie Kirby, for passing.

Kirby answered questions for Ashley and gave her old AP tests to study by.

“The classes I had previously taken were pretty much 75 percent of the knowledge I needed to know,” said Ashley.

“The other 25 percent I got from reading the materials that I bought and reading that I got from Ms. Kirby.”

Taking the AP test without first having the class was Ashley’s mother’s idea. It took her teacher’s encouragement to convince Ashley she could do it.

“I didn’t want the fact they weren’t going to offer the course to stifle her,” said Sandra.

“I wanted her to at least attempt it. I thought, well, it’s a $80 investment, and four Saturdays, why not try.”

Taking the AP test gave Ashley five college credits, which are worth much more than the $80 test fee.

“If your kids are college bound, and if you’re aware of how much college costs, you should be kicking and screaming that your kids take AP courses,” said Sandra. “Otherwise you’ll end up taking a second mortgage on your home to pay for college.”

Because she was not able to take the AP Biology course Ashley could not experiment with labs.

She couldn’t afford materials like fruit flies and specially engineered Ecoli on her own.

She estimates that the supplies would have cost up to $5,000. Labs are the big reason AP Biology classes cost schools so much money.

Ashley hopes to pursue a career in genetics. She has started her first year at the School of Science and Math in Durham.

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Staff Writer Sarah Grano can be reached at 704-735-3031 or sgrano@ltnews.com.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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