Menu

Join the AP Capstone Program

Level up your learning with the Advanced Placement® (AP®) Capstone program now available through FLVS Flex. Available to high school students entering their sophomore or junior year, this program helps students develop strong research and writing skills for success in college and beyond. In addition, students can earn their AP Capstone Diploma™ or AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ from the College Board.

Ready to Enroll?

Why Enroll in AP Capstone?

College Credits

Earn college credit hours tuition-free with FLVS Advanced Placement courses, including AP Seminar and AP Research.

Research Opportunities

Collaborate on research topics with higher education faculty and/or local community leaders with the potential to be published in academic journals.

Breadth & Depth of Learning

Gain essential skills to think critically, conduct independent research, evaluate arguments, and articulate ideas.

International Recognition

Earn credentials from the College Board valued by universities and employers across the world.

College Acceptance

Stand out in college applications by demonstrating high-level research analysis and writing skills that appeal to colleges and universities.

Interdisciplinary Studies

Build on existing knowledge with the rigorous coursework of Advanced Placement (AP) across multiple disciplines.

Course Offerings by Subject

There are two AP Capstone courses available to FLVS Flex students. In order to earn the AP Capstone Diploma, both must be completed in addition to four other AP Courses - two of which must be completed with Florida Virtual School.

AP Seminar

Year 1

Conduct academic discussions over various topics with multiple perspectives, honing debating, writing, and presenting skills. The final AP Seminar score consists of a graded team task as well as an individual task, followed by a free response AP exam in May.

Enroll Now 

AP Research

Year 2

Building on skills taught in AP Seminar, AP Research will examine methodologies of research and focus on students completing an independent study and presentation. The Research AP exam score consists of a completed research paper and defense, with no traditional end of year exam.

Students enrolled in the AP Capstone program with FLVS will receive information for registration upon completion of the AP Seminar course.

General Course Requirements:

  • Grade level: Must be a 10th/11th grader to begin the AP Seminar course
  • Pre-requisites: Honors/AICE/Pre-AP level English course
  • Enrollment history: Students need to have completed at least one (1) AP course through FLVS before being eligible to sign up for AP Seminar. (Students who have not completed an AP course with FLVS can commit to co-enroll in an AP course.)
  • Commitment to work within the cohort timeline and meet deadlines for assignments
  • Commitment to attend weekly, live online meetings for team collaborations and teacher facilitated sessions

Additional Requirements for AP Research:

  • Students must enroll in at least 1 additional AP course and complete AP Seminar (and their AP co-requisite) to be eligible for AP Research

Program Progression

Below is an example of how a student will progress through the program as well as the major milestones they will need to meet throughout the program.

AUG - OCT
  • Research Strategies
  • Scholarly Debates
  • Credible Sources Analysis
NOV - DEC
  • Practice Team Project
  • Practice Presentation
JAN - FEB
  • Group Project
  • Presentation Task 1 Due
  • 20% of Final Grade
MAR - APR
  • Individual Task
  • Presentaion Task 2 Due
  • 35% of Final Grade
MAY
  • AP Exam
  • 45% of Final Grade

AP Capstone Diploma Requirements

  • Student must be a rising sophomore/junior to begin the program
  • Students must complete AP Seminar and AP Research
  • Students must complete 4 additional Advanced Placement courses (2 of these courses must be completed with Florida Virtual School)
  • Earn scores of 3 or higher on both the AP Seminar and AP Research exam
  • Earn scores of 3 or higher on 4 additional AP courses

**Please note the AP Capstone diploma is not a traditional graduation diploma and is not awarded from FLVS Flex.  It is a diploma designation from Collegeboard that a student has met the specific AP Capstone criteria.

Hear From Current Students & Parents

Frequently Asked Questions

AP Capstone is a two-year program and courses may not be taken simultaneously, so students must start their program no later than their junior (11th grade) year of high school.
Yes, but you will need to choose an additional AP course with FLVS and co-enroll in it at the time you register for AP Seminar.
The AP Seminar program is a cohort program, which means all students move through the course together and thus must start together. All students start in August, during the fall semester.
The program begins with orientation in the first week and students will be expected to begin coursework the following week.

Students who earn a three or higher on their Seminar and Research courses but not on four additional courses, can still earn the AP Seminar and Research Certificate but will not be eligible for the Diploma.

No, AP Capstone must be taught by certified instructors and county virtual schools would need to acquire their own permission to teach from the College Board.

No, AP Capstone is only available to FLVS Flex students at this time. For additional inquiries about when this program will open to additional students contact [email protected].

For AP Seminar and AP Research, students with documented disabilities may be eligible for accommodations for through-course assessments (performance tasks) and the end-of-course exam for AP Seminar. For information about requesting an accommodations approval, go to  collegeboard.org/apssd or contact College Board Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 844-255-7728 or 212-713-8333.

Ready to Take the Next Steps?

The AP Seminar course is now enrolling FLVS Flex students entering 10th or 11th grade for the 2022-2023 school year. To learn more or express interest in the program, please email [email protected]

 

Current Students

Enroll in AP Seminar