Note: New Courses are being added to this lising. Please check back. Or, call us if you don't see what you're looking for.
2013 ASAP Session is Monday, June 24 through Friday, August 2, 2013
All applicants must indicate their first, second, and third choices for courses. Students are not guaranteed enrollment in their first or second choices.
Courses that meet two days each week are designed to contain the curricula and workload of a one-semester high school course. Courses that meet three days each week are designed to contain the curricula and workload of a two-semester (i.e., full school year) course.
Morning classes are from 8:30 AM to noon, and afternoon classes are from 1:00 to 4:30 PM. Classes meet either two or three days a week.
Click a category (below), or scroll down to review all ASAP courses.
New Courses: Music, App Development and more!
Writing & Literature
Fine Arts
Languages
Mathematics
Social Sciences
Natural Sciences
Trailblazer 2 Changemaker is Monday, August 5 through Friday, August 9, 2013
Click here for more information about Trailblazer 2 Changemaker
ASAP Course Descriptions
App Development: Intro to Programming and Game Design
The theme of mobile game development serves as a vehicle to introduce the learner to the fundamentals of programming and game design. By the end of this course students will be grounded in the concepts one would expect to learn from a college level introductory programming course.
Grade requirements: for students grades 9 - 12
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Monday and Thursday 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $ 640
College Prep Chemistry
This extremely fast-paced course completes all topics of first-year Chemistry with laboratory: Atoms, Molecules, and Ions, Stoichiometry, Gases, atomic structure and Periodicity, Bonding, Liquids and Solids, Solutions, Equilibrium, Acids and Bases. Because the course covers a full year of Chemistry, students spend at least eight hours outside of class preparing for each class session.
Grade Requirements: TBD
Homework per class meeting: 8-10 Hours
Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 8:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Tuition: $920
AP Music Theory
The AP Music Theory course is a study of advanced music literacy, focusing on aural and written musical skills. Students in this class will develop an understanding of the main components of music: melody, harmony, rhythm, meter, texture, and form. Students will seek to develop music writing skills through analysis, composition, and notation. They will improve their musicianship through listening skills,
sight-singing, and by singing individually and in groups. The work in this class is equivalent to a first year college music theory class.
Prerequisites: Students must be able to read and write musical notation along with intermediate to advanced performance skills in either voice or an instrument.Teacher Recommendation Form completed by current music instructor
Grade requirements: For students who have completed grade 9 and up
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 8:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m
Tuition: $920
Writing for High School
This class will provide a vehicle for students to fortify high school level reading and writing skills. Students will strengthen their abilities to access and analyze information and craft powerful, persuasive arguments. Through readings, class discussions, and group work, students will investigate different styles and forms of writing that respond to the demands of a range of content areas including history, science, and English. Emphasis will be on learning to refine thinking and on improving writing through editing and rewriting. Students will be assigned approximately 2-4 pages of writing, in addition to regular reading assignments, per class.
Grade requirements: For students completing grade 8 or 9 in June 2013
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Tuesday and Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
Writing for College
Students in this course will prepare for college-level work by applying their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills to a range of topics. Studying literature in high school teaches students to read carefully, think analytically, and write persuasively, and in college, they will need to apply these well-practiced skills to coursework for each discipline that they encounter. Students in this course will synthesize information from a variety of sources in order to arrive at thoughtful and original conclusions. Through focused revision and editing, students will be able to craft clear, purposeful contributions to their fields of study.
Grade requirements: For students completing grade 10 or 11 in June 2013
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Monday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
Writing Process
Mastery of the writing process is the key component of successful academic writing. The purpose of this course is for students to develop comprehensive facility with this process through a series of assignments involving twenty-first century American history. We will focus on the progression of an essay from an assignment to a finished paper. We will cover the formation of a working thesis, the development of expertise through well-balanced research, and the organization and pre-writing of a working draft. Perhaps most importantly, we will undertake an in-depth study of the revision process.
Grade requirements: For students completing grade 10 or 11 in June 2013
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
Analytical Writing
Through the critical study of literature, film, and current events, this course will prepare students for the high expectations that come with analytical writing at the university level. The course will focus on defining and analyzing the concept of the American Dream. Students will develop their skills in research, drafting, and the revision process. By the end of the term, students will exhibit college-ready critical thinking skills and the ability to express that thinking in clear, in-depth writing.
Grade requirements: For students completing grade 10 or 11 in June 2013
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
Creative Writing
This course is an introduction to creative writing, covering both prose and poetry. The class will operate primarily as a workshop, meaning that we’ll spend class time discussing writing as a group and commenting individually through written feedback. We will also read and study established poets and prose writers as a window into what makes creative texts “successful.” We will study language, characterization, pacing, and voice, among many other issues. Not only will students write in this class, but they will also become better, more thoughtful readers of their own work.
Grade requirements: For students completing grade 10 or 11 in June 2013
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Monday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
AP Art History
From cave paintings to cathedrals, this course will introduce students to a range of artistic and architectural treasures. Students will develop multiple strategies for understanding and discussing the fine arts, examining the emotional impact of color, line, and form, while at the same time studying the historical forces and personal impulses that have influenced visual expression over the centuries. The class will pay special attention to the ways that artists of the past 150 years have interpreted and adapted the artwork that came before them: how the painter Mary Cassatt reworked compositions from the Renaissance or the sculptor Isamu Noguchi modeled an elegant abstract work on archaic Greek funerary statues. Students will develop their writing skills while researching topics of their own choosing. Class fieldtrips will offer students in-depth encounters with great works of art from a variety of cultures.
Grade requirements: For students who have completed grade 8 and up
Homework per class meeting: 4-5 hours
Schedule: Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
First-Year Japanese
This course is based on a fun, relaxed, playful, and effective approach to learning Japanese. This method is a synthesis of many innovative teaching techniques developed to help accelerate students’ language learning. The two major components of this course are: (1) acquisition of basic communication skills of elementary Japanese and (2) learning hiragana and katakana syllabaries as well as some kanji characters. The language is taught multimodally: lots of physical movement, use of pictures and graphics, conversation practices, storytelling, and some story creating. Students also learn about modern Japanese life. This course is equivalent to one year of high school Japanese.
Open to all qualified ASAP students
Homework per class meeting: 5-6 hours
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
First-Year Mandarin
This course is based on a fun, relaxed, playful, and effective approach to learning Mandarin. This method is a synthesis of many innovative teaching techniques developed to help accelerate students’ language learning. The two major components of this course are: (1) acquisition of basic communication skills of elementary Mandarin and (2) learning some written characters. The language is taught multimodally: lots of physical movement, use of pictures and graphics, conversation practices, storytelling, and some story creating. Students also learn about modern life and culture in China. This course is equivalent to one year of high school Mandarin.
Open to all qualified ASAP students
Homework per class meeting: 5-6 hours
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
AP Chinese Course
This fast-pace extensive 6 weeks course is designed to provide a college-level experience and preparation for the AP Chinese Language and Culture examination. This course will follow the National Standards for Foreign Language education through 5Cs (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities), meet the proficiency described in the ACTFL proficiency Guidelines and prepares students to demonstrate the advanced proficiency across the three communication modes (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational). Student may earn college credit by receiving a passing grade on the national examination.
Prerequisite: 3 years of completed Chinese course transcript and must require instructor’s evaluation or passing score on placement test.
Homework per class meeting: 6 - 10 hours.
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Tuition: $920
SAT Chinese with Listening Course
This fast-pace extensive 3 weeks course is designed to prepare student for November SAT Chinese with Listening Subject examination in fulfilling college admission foreign language requirement. This course will follow the ACTFL proficiency Guidelines in order to prepare the advanced proficiency in understanding spoken, written Chinese and grammatical usage. Student will learn to comprehend, communicate and demonstrate the mastery of the language. The course will also guide the student to be ready for advance Chinese level such as AP Chinese course.
Prerequisite: Minimum 2 years of completed Chinese course transcript and must require instructor’s evaluation.
Homework per class meeting: 3 - 5 hours.
Schedule: Monday and Thursday, 1:30 am - 4:30 pm
Tuition: $450
Algebra I
This six-week course covers a full year of Algebra I and is aligned with state and NCTM standards for high school Algebra classes. Topics to be covered include data organization; patterns and graphs; writing and solving equations; numeric, geometric, and algebraic ratios; slopes and rates of change; linear functions; factoring quadratics; graphing and systems of linear and nonlinear equations, area and sub problems; radicals and inequalities; exponents and quadratics; rational and irrational numbers; and quadratic functions. Students spend at least eight hours outside of class preparing for each class session. The atmosphere of the class is cooperative; the emphasis is on working together.
Prerequisite: Completion of Pre-Algebra, grade of B or better in current math class, Teacher
Recommendation Form completed by current math instructor
Homework per class meeting: 8-10 hours
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
Geometry
This fast-paced course completes all topics of first-year Geometry: points, lines, planes, and angles; deductive reasoning; parallel lines and planes; congruent triangles; quadrilaterals; inequalities in geometry; similar polygons; right triangles; circles; constructions and loci; areas of plane figures; areas and volumes of solids; coordinate geometry; transformations; and an introduction to trigonometry. Because the course covers a full year of Geometry, students spend at least eight hours outside of class preparing for each class session.
Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra I, grade of B in current math class, Teacher Recommendation Form
completed by current math instructor
Homework per class meeting: 8-10 hours
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
Algebra II/Trigonometry
This extremely fast-paced course completes all topics of second-year Algebra with trigonometry: linear functions and relations; systems of linear equations and inequalities; quadratic functions and complex numbers; exponential and logarithmic functions; rational and irrational algebraic functions; quadratic relations and systems; higher degree functions and polynomials; sequences and series; graphing techniques; circular and trigonometric functions; and use of mathematical models for applications and problem solving. Because the course covers a full year of material, students spend a great deal of time outside class preparing for each class session.
Prerequisite: Completion of Geometry, grade of B or better in current math class, Teacher
Recommendation Form completed by current math instructor
Homework per class meeting: 8-10 hours
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
Precalculus
This fast-paced course will cover topics necessary for success in Calculus: coordinate geometry including rational functions and their graphs; conic sections including rotation of axes; elementary functions including inverses and transformation theory; exponential and logarithmic functions; all topics from the trigonometry framework including polar coordinates, polar graphing, polar form of complex numbers, DeMoivre’s Theorem, Trigonometric identities, triangle trigonometry for right triangles and non-right triangles, graphs of the trigonometric functions and their inverses; sequences, series, sigma notation; proof by mathematical induction; introduction to limits; and introduction to differentiation.
Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra II, grade of B or better in current math class, Teacher
Recommendation Form completed by current math instructor
Homework per class meeting: 6-10 hours
Schedule:Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
AP Calculus AB
This extremely fast-paced, one-year AP Calculus course will cover all of the material for the Calculus AB AP examination in May 2013: limits; continuity; tangents, velocities, rates of change; derivatives; differentiation rules; implicit differentiation; higher derivatives; related rates; applications of differentiation; indeterminate forms and l’Hôpital’s rule; integrals: areas and distance, definite integrals, the fundamental theorem of calculus, indefinite integrals and the net change theorem, substitution; applications of integration: area between curves, volume, work, average value of a function; direction fields; separable differential equations.
Prerequisite: Completion of Precalculus, grade of B or better in current math class, Teacher
Recommendation Form completed by current math instructor, and passing score on placement test
Homework per class meeting: 6-10 hours
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
Public Speaking
Students in this course will develop the writing and performance skills needed to become clear, compelling, confident, and persuasive public speakers. We will practice a variety of speaking styles, including impromptu (speaking “off the cuff” on a randomly selected topic), dramatic interpretation (of monologues from novels, plays, and films), debate (defending a position on a controversial issue), and oratory (a formal speech that seeks to inform, inspire, or persuade on a topic of your choice). We will also study, view, and analyze the performances of some of the most powerful orators of the past century. If you are seeking to reduce your anxiety about public speaking, this course provides a friendly, nonthreatening environment in which to increase your confidence. If you already enjoy public speaking, you will have an opportunity to enhance and practice your skills.
Open to all qualified ASAP students
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
The Practice of Law
This course will provide an overview of social institutions and functions addressed in the practice of law. Students will participate in each of the lawyer’s roles: investigation, research, advocacy, negotiation, trial preparation, and dispute resolution. In the process, students will examine the nature and history of law, interrogate parties, argue hypothetical cases, arbitrate conflicts, and draft legal documents. This class will require active participation in lively classroom activities and projects, which will include simulated trials, oral argument, and case briefing. Students will be encouraged to participate freely in robust classroom discussions and debates, with a premium placed on the open exchange of ideas and opinions. The course will culminate in a mock trial conducted in a local courtroom before a judge. College-level texts will be used.
Grade requirements: For students who have completed grade 8 and up
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours
Schedule: Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
AP Micro Economics
Derived from the title of an ancient Greek treatise on household management, the word “economics” now describes a field of study that attempts to answer questions from how the government should fight pollution, to why everyone seems to need a bailout, and even why finding an apartment in San Diego can be such a nightmare. This course prepares students for the May 2013 AP examination in microeconomics. This course is guided by the AP syllabus for this topic and covers the following areas: basic economic concepts; supply and demand models; consumer choice; the theory of the firm; factor markets (markets of the ingredients of production, including land, labor, and capital); market failure; measures of economic performance; national income and price determination; the nature and functions of the financial sector; inflation and unemployment; economic growth and productivity; international trade and finance; and the government’s attempts (successful and unsuccessful) to make it all better.
Grade requirements: For students who have completed grade 9 and up
Homework per class meeting: 6-10 hours
ScheduleMonday, Wednesday and Fridays, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $920
Biotechnology
In this course, students will be introduced to the principles and techniques of molecular biology that are used to study and manipulate DNA in basic research, medicine, forensics, and agriculture. We will begin by studying the structure and chemistry of DNA, and we will then learn about many of the laboratory techniques used in recombinant DNA technology, including restriction digests, PCR, bacterial transformation, and immunological assays. In each class meeting, students will conduct hands-on experiments and learn about the real-world uses and implications of biotechnology. Additionally, students will complete weekly current events reports and examine the ethical considerations raised by advances in the field.
Grade requirements: For students completing grade 8 in June 2013 who have successfully completed a
lab science course with a B grade or higher
Homework per class meeting: 4-6 hours
Schedule: Tuesday and Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $780
Environmental Science
This concept oriented, lab-based course will offer students both social and ecological perspectives towards the human role in affecting the environment. Throughout the course, students analyze pertinent local environmental issues in the context of sustainable development while keeping an eye on the bigger global picture. The class will begin by building a solid understanding of the complex interaction of the earth’s natural systems while identifying how human lifestyle and society affect those systems. Then, students will look into the politics, economics, and social policy that impact environmental problems. The recurring theme of this course will be the importance of sustainability, whether in an ecosystem or human community. The course will focus on scientific thinking, research and laboratory skills, and critical analysis of environmental problems.
Grade requirements: For students who have completed grade 8 & up
Homework per class meeting: 4-5 hours
Schedule: Monday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $780
Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive neuroscientists aim to answer one of the last remaining fundamental questions of science: how does a three-pound lump of organic material—the brain—support such a wide array of functions, such as thinking and reasoning, emotion, perception, movement, and consciousness? Through lecture and hands-on demonstrations, we will explore modern theories and applications of adult and developmental neuroscience, as well as experimental methodologies (i.e., single unit recording, fMRI, EEG, psychophysics). We will use a college-level textbook along with supplementary readings to introduce six key topic areas of Cognitive Neuroscience (cells, systems, sensory processes, perception and attention, learning, memory and emotion, and development and disorders). An end-of-course project will provide the opportunity to learn how to read and evaluate primary research articles directly from the scientists in the field and present on a brain topic of special interest.
Prerequisite: Completion of at least one of the following courses: A high school Psychology class, an AP
or honors Biology class, or AP or honors Chemistry class
Grade requirements: For students who have completed grade 9 and up
Homework per class meeting: 6-10 hours
Schedule: Monday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuition: $640
