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High-school counselors report rising AP participation and strong scores; 171 seniors slated to graduate
Summary
High-school counselor Rachel Sturmall told the Swampscott School Committee that AP participation rose substantially and student performance remained strong (about 80% scoring 3+); she reported 171 students are expected to graduate June 6.
Rachel Sturmall, a high-school counselor and department chair, presented the class-by-class postsecondary and testing data to the committee on May 14.
Sturmall said her team collects self-reported postsecondary plans before graduation and that for the class of 2025 about 85% reported admission and matriculation to four-year colleges. She reported the class of 2026 will have 171 students crossing the stage on June 6.
On Advanced Placement testing, Sturmall said the district administered 615 AP exams this year (up from 603 and 417 in earlier years) across 24 subjects and that roughly 80% of exams earned a score of 3 or above, the College Board threshold the district uses to indicate college readiness. She added that 301 of 603 exams the previous year earned scores of 4 or 5 (about 50%).
Sturmall also reviewed SAT and PSAT participation: 173 students had tested so far this school year with composite SAT averages near 1,200; she noted the SAT remains "test-optional" for many colleges but is again required by some selective institutions. The counseling office runs a college-essay workshop for juniors and provides PSAT access during the school day to ensure equitable preparation.
Committee members asked that testing dates, highlights and presentation slides be posted on the district website and ParentSquare to inform families and to support town-meeting budget conversations. Sturmall said she would share the slides and a link to the complete list of colleges admitted-to by recent graduates.
