APCS Information Guide
User Manual:
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CTYOnline Information
Guide:
Advanced Placement Computer Science A
Updated September 22, 2015
This document contains important information about your course. Students and Parents are required to read it
thoroughly and are expected to be familiar with the policies before the course begins. If you have questions
about the course, please contact your instructor or the CTYOnline office at 410-735-6166 or ctyonline@jhu.edu.
Welcome to CTYOnline
Thank you for making the choice to participate in a CTYOnline Advanced Placement course. Your decision
benefits you in many ways:
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AP students can study a subject in-depth at the college level and prepare for college work.
CTYOnline's AP courses prepare students for AP exams.
Many United States colleges and universities approve higher placement or course credit for
students receiving a qualifying score on an AP exam. However, credit and placement approval
varies greatly by school. Students should verify specific policies at each university to which they apply
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The AP program offers a number of Scholar Awards to students for outstanding performance on AP
exams. This achievement is noted on the AP transcript and is recognized by colleges.
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For more information on Scholar Awards and other AP benefits, visit www.collegeboard.com
Student Guidelines
As a CTYOnline student we ask that you:
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Be computer-literate
Work independently and consistently
Communicate frequently with your instructo
r
Take tests and exams without assistance
Student Code of Conduct
CTY expects the highest standards of behavior from students. Students are expected to:
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Adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity
Strive to do the best work possible
Respect individuals of different races, cultures, religions, genders, sexual orientations, disabilitie
s,
and national origins
Be friendly, cooperative, and responsible to all people in the CTY community
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Students may receive failing grades or be dismissed from the program, with no tuition refunds, for any of the
following reasons:
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Cheating, or other acts of academic dishonesty, including failing to follow quiz or exam rules and
Honor Codes
Plagiarizing, defined as the submission or presentation of work, in any form, that is not a student's own,
without acknowledgment of the sources
Harassing or interfering with the work of others, whether via e-mail or any other medium
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Discussion Forum Policy
An important part of the course is participation in the discussion boards. Students will be asked to respond
to questions, read over other posts, and contribute to class discussion. It is the responsibility of all students to
follow good posting practices and conduct themselves appropriately.
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Treat instructors and classmates with politeness and respect. Remember that sometimes things we
type online can be interpreted in a way we didn’t mean.
Proper language is expected at all times. A good rule of thumb is to never say anything you wouldn’t
say in front of your grandmother!
Make sure your posts are on topic and in the appropriate forum.
Do your best to use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. Do not type in all caps.
Never share your password or personal information, such as phone number or address.
Help your classmates by giving your opinions, not authoritative answers. Everyone may have
different ideas about a subject, and we can all learn a lot by listening to each other.
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If you are unsure about the discussion board policy, ask your instructor for clarification. Improper conduct in
the forums may result in removal of the post(s) by your instructor, a failing grade in the course, or dismissal
from the program, according to the CTYOnline Student Code of Conduct.
Contacting Your Instructor
Students are expected to contact their instructor on a weekly basis. Email is the most efficient way to
contact your instructor. Include your name and specify any questions you have. The instructor will get in
touch with you via e-mail or by phone depending on the nature of the difficulty. You may also call your
instructor directly during his or her office hours. Whenever you leave a message for your instructor
please include your name, CTY Student ID, phone number, and the hours when you can be reached.
Students should check email messages daily. Instructors send updates and other useful information
via email. Students should expect to receive answers to emails or phone messages within one business
day or during the instructor's next scheduled hours. Please keep in mind that a telephone message left late on
a Friday may not be heard until the following Monday; likewise, an email sent late on Friday may not be
viewed until the following Monday. Responses to exams or major assignments may take one to two
weeks depending on the instructor's schedule. If communication issues occur, they usually can be
resolved quickly and easily with a short phone conversation between the instructor and parent or student.
Course Logistics
Keep a Copy of Each Assignment
Save your work. Back up your files by copying them to a flash drive, CD, DVD, or cloud-based storage system
like Google Docs or Dropbox. Protect against loss!
Follow Due Dates
All AP science courses are session-based, with specific course start and end dates and due dates for all
assignments. Students must keep pace with the progress schedule, including deadlines for submission
of assignments, labs, tests, and exams. Work submitted after the due date will receive a score of zero.
The AP Course Calendar is a suggested pacing guide for managing the large amount of material in the course.
All assessments are available at the beginning of the course and students are encouraged to work ahead.
Satisfactory Progress
You must submit all required coursework by the due dates (see schedule for more details) and earn an overall
average of 70% to complete the course. Completed courses are graded and will appear on your CTY Official
Academic Record.
Your course will be considered incomplete if you do not submit all of the required coursework by the due date
or if your overall course average is below 70%. Incomplete courses are not graded and do not show up on the CTY Offi
cia
Academic Record.
We expect you to adhere to the course schedule. Time away from the course is not permitted for students workin
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in a session-based course. If you know in advance that you will be unable to turn in an assignment on time, it is you
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responsibility to discuss a make-up schedule with your instructor well in advance of the original due date. Students ma
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be withdrawn from the program or switched to audit status if they do not attend to their academic work in
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satisfactory manner.
Audit Status
Students may choose to switch to audit status (by contacting their instructor) if they are unable to keep up
with the coursework or if they do not intend to complete the entire course. Students with a pattern of
late or missing assignments may also be switched to audit status by the CTYOnline Computer Science Program Manage
r.
Audited courses are considered "incomplete" in CTY records. This means that students will not receive a final grad
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for the course, nor will the course be listed on their CTY Official Academic Record; however, they may submit work an
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have access to the online classroom during the session, benefiting from the instructor's expertise.
Course Evaluations
Near the midpoint of the course, progress reports will be prepared by the instructor and emailed to
students. Progress reports show the overall course average at that time, the number of submitted and missing
assignments, and the current averages on assessments.
After the course’s end, students who have successfully completed the course by submitting all require
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assignments by the due date and maintaining a course average of 70% or above will receive formal cours
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evaluation documents that focus on academic performance, progress, and effort. Course evaluations are maile
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to the student’s home about one month after the course end date. Course evaluations for school-base
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students are sent to the school. Parents of non-school based students who need proof of completion of
a
CTYOnline course may use the course evaluation sent to the student’s home, print a copy of the student’s Uno
fficia
Academic Record free of charge, or request an Official Academic Record via MyCTY.
Grades
AP science courses include graded and ungraded assignments. The online classroom has a gradebook where
students can check their scores and feedback on specific assignments and view their overall grade at any time
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Detailed grading information can be found in the AP Computer Science Grading Information document.
CTY Academic Record
The CTY Academic Record documents a student's participation in all CTY academic courses as well as other
CTY activities. To view a student’s CTY Academic Record, log in to MyCTY and click on the “Student Participation
”
section. Click on “View Unofficial Academic Record” to view and print the Unofficial Academic Record at
no charge. To request an official copy, click “Order Official Academic Record(s).” The charge for each
Official Academic Record is $5.00. Contact ctyreg@jhu.edu for more information.
Continued Access to the Online Classroom
All students, whether the course is on audit status, incomplete status, or complete status, will continue to
have access to the online classroom through the AP Exam in May and the SAT II testing date in June. This
allows students to review the material for these exams. Please note, however, that access to the instructors
for grading and feedback ends on the course end date.
AP Exam Information
College Board’s Advanced Placement exams are given each May at high schools around the country. Exams
are approximately two to three hours long and consist of multiple choice and free response questions. Th
e
exams are graded on a scale from 1 to 5, with 3, 4, and 5 considered "qualifying" scores.
A calendar of important dates can be found at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/cal.html
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All students must contact their school's AP coordinator by January to register for the exam that May. There
is a
fee for each exam, which can sometimes be reduced in case of financial need. See the school's AP coordinato
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for details.
Home-schooled students can arrange to take the exam at a local high school. They must make arrangemen
ts
early in the school year and register according to the procedure outlined on the College Board web
site:
www.collegeboard.com.
To report your AP Exam score to CTY, please use CTY’s School Code, 992101, when registering for the exam
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This helps CTY ensure that the AP course is meeting the needs of our students.
Technical Issues
Technical Requirements
Students enrolled in CTYOnline are required to have access to a computer which is capable of running the
course software. They must also have an e-mail account. Students are expected to have prior
computer experience, including familiarity with e-mail, accessing internet sites, and uploading, downloading,
and attaching files. Browser software restrictions such as Parental Controls, Norton, McAfee, and AOL
may need to be adjusted.
Technical Support
Frequently encountered technical problems are addressed at http://cty.jhu.edu/ctyonline/tech-
requirements.html. This should be your first stop if you encounter a technical problem, as most problems
can
be resolved with the information and links provided. If you are unable to resolve the issue through this site,
click on the Tech Support Form link to go to http://ctyjhu.org/cde/support/ . Complete the form and
click “submit.” This will direct your specific problem to the appropriate staff and you will be contacted
by someone who can help. CTY cannot provide basic computer support. If you are unable to run the
course software, it is extremely important to report this to your instructor in a timely fashion.
Anti-Spam Information
Please put CTY and your instructor on your email Safe List. If you do not put CTY email addresses on your
safe list or filter them into a specific folder, messages may go into your bulk mail directory and/or be delete
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before you see them. See http://www.cty.jhu.edu/ctyonline/support/webmailsettings.html for mor
e
information.
Students with Learning, Physical, or Medical Disabilities
CTY is committed to providing reasonable, appropriate, and necessary accommodations for qualified
students with disabilities. To do so, open communication between CTY and parents is essential to meetin
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students’ needs. If your child has a learning, physical, or medical disability that might impact his or he
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CTYOnline experience, you must contact the CTY Disabilities Services Administrator at 410-735-6215 o
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ctydisabilities@jhu.edu to discuss those needs in the context of the CTYOnline program. You must contact us prio
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to beginning any new course even if your child received accommodations in a past CTY program, or was evaluate
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by CTY’s Diagnostic and Counseling Center. Information of this nature is privileged and is not shared betwe
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departments at CTY without your written release. The privacy rights of each student are honored to the fu
llest
extent possible.
For reasonable accommodations to be provided, current documentation from a qualified individual
knowledgeable about the student’s disability must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the start of the course
Requests made outside of this timeline may affect our ability to provide accommodations and in cert
ain
circumstances may prevent a child from participating in our program. See documentation guidelines
at
http://web.jhu.edu/disabilities/students/admitted/documentation/index.html
The College Board also makes accommodation for disabilities during testing. Visit www.collegeboard.co
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for information about disability accommodation. Any disability accommodations should be discussed with th
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test site school's AP Coordinator. We recommend that you begin the process as early in the fall as possible.
MyCTY
Through MyCTY, you have access to all your CTY information via the web. You can:
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Update your child’s contact information
Apply for CTYOnline courses, Summer Programs, Family Academic Programs, and Talent Search
Check your account balance
Order your student’s Official Academic Record for a nominal fee and have it sent to your home, schoo
l,
or a college
View and print your student's CTY unofficial academic record
View your student’s participation details
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To login to MyCTY, go to http://ctyjhu.org/mycty, choose Type: Parent, and enter your MyCTY login name and
password. If you do not know your MyCTY password, select “Forgot Your Password” or call the CTY information
office at 410-735-6277 during business hours.
Refund Policies and Procedures
A written request to withdraw from a course must be received by CTY no later than two weeks after the
course start date to receive an 80% tuition refund. The application fee is non-refundable. Refunds take
4-6 weeks to process. Withdrawal requests should be sent to ctyonline@jhu.edu. Students who withdraw or
fail to participate after the two-week withdrawal period will not receive a refund. Students who violate th
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student code of conduct will also be withdrawn without refund. You are encouraged to use the two weeks at th
e
start of the program, during which a refund is possible, to decide whether CTYOnline will work for your child.
If you find the course you have enrolled in is not appropriate for your child, contact ctyonline@jhu.edu to
discuss course change options.
School Information
Placement and Credit
Students requesting placement or credit from their schools should always discuss their options with school
officials before enrolling, since school policies vary. In some cases, schools may require additional documentatio
n
about CTY and the course content, or the student may be asked to take the school’s final exam. Although CTY
is an accredited institution and grants course completion documents to each student who successfully
completes coursework, credit or placement can only be awarded by the student’s school.
Visit http://cty.jhu.edu/ctyonline/credit.html for more information.
Grade Reports
Students using the program as a replacement for coursework at school may need grades issued periodically.
Upon request, we will issue report card period grades, as well as a final grade, to the child’s school. Submit your
request to ctyinschool@jhu.edu
at least 2 weeks prior to the date needed. Include the name and address of the
school, school contact person, and the date(s) grades are needed.
School-based Students
If your student is taking a course in cooperation with a school, please contact the CTYOnline School
Coordinator at ctyinschool@jhu.edu.
Billing Questions
Inquiries regarding accounting or billing should be directed to Student Accounts. Email ctyar@jhu.edu, or
call (410)735-6063 or (410)735-6048.
Accreditation
The Center for Talented Youth is accredited for grades 5 through 12 by the Commission on Secondary
Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 1910
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(215-662-5603).
Advice Regarding Parental Involvement
To ensure your student’s success, you may want to monitor the following aspects of the course:
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Your child’s ability to complete all assignments by the due date. Before the course begins, please discuss
the instructor's schedule with your child and plan for any interruptions. CTY expects students to follow th
e
course schedule. If students cannot complete work on a specified date, it is essential that they notify th
e
instructor well in advance of the due date to create a make-up schedule.
Your child’s satisfactory progress. Please review Satisfactory Progress section.
Your child’s timely work on the course, rather than rushing to finish an assignment right before it is due
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Your child’s storage of a backup portfolio of coursework in a place safe from technological disasters an
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other sources of loss or damage.
Your child’s adherence to the Student Code of Conduct, Honor Code, and Discussion Forum Policy.
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Maintaining Communication with Your Child’s Instructor
If you would like to be copied on correspondence from the instructor to your child, please let the instructor
know at the beginning of the course. Students should expect to receive answers to emails or phone messag
es
within one business day or during the instructor's next scheduled cyber office hours. Please keep in mind that
a telephone message left late on a Friday may not be heard until the following Monday; likewise, an
email sent late on Friday may not be viewed until the following Monday. Responses to exams or
major assignments may take one to two weeks, depending on the instructor’s schedule.
Who to Contact at CTYOnline
Zhanna Mikailova
Email: zmikailova@jhu.edu
410-735-6145
CTY
Online
Office
Requests for withdrawal and administrative
questions
Phone: 410-735-6166
E-Mail: ctyonline@jhu.edu
Fax: 866-646-3816
Registration Office
Questions concerning your enrollment or copies
of the CTY Official Academic Record
Phone: 410-735-6108
E-Mail: ctyreg@jhu.edu
Fax: 410-735-6187
School Program Office
Questions regarding how to work with your
school to obtain credit for CTY courses
Phone: 410-735-6168
E-Mail: ctyinschool@jhu.edu
Fax: 866-646-3816
Computer Science Program Manager
Requests for audit status or feedback on
courses or programs
Contract your instructor
Questions regarding course content, tests, and
recommendations for future courses
Phone: See assignment letter
E-Mail: See assignment letter
Fax: 866-646-3816
