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AP Chemistry Partnership Program
What is the AP Chemistry Partnership Program?
The AP Chemistry Partnership Program is an optional program that provides students with the opportunity to take an accelerated version of AP Chemistry on-site at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC) in Doylestown and to participate in an after-school research internship at the facility. Students engage in their own multi-week research project, which is entered into various STEM competitions. PABC is one of the premier biotech incubators in the United States. The cure for Hepatitis C was developed by Dr. Michael Sofia at PABC, along with various other pharmaceuticals. Several multi-million dollar start-ups have been spun out of the facility, which has served as a “second home” for a number of renowned current and former pharmaceutical researchers and university professors.
Who is eligible to participate in the AP Chemistry Partnership Program?
Students must request AP Chemistry to be eligible, and only students who have requested AP Chemistry receive an invitation to the annual roll-out meeting. Participants must be 16-years-old on the first day of the school year. The program is highly selective, and it is not a good fit for all students. Students must apply, and only one class of students will be admitted from the district-wide pool of applicants (i.e. one class chosen from all students who apply from East, South, and West). The after-school research internship is a considerable time commitment which makes many other activities impossible. Program participants do not participate in CBSD sports or other activities that hold regular, mandatory meetings after school. Since the after-school internship is essentially a part-time job, it may also make other part-time work impossible on the weekdays.
What are the benefits of the AP Chemistry Partnership Program?
The program is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage in serious, long-term research at the high school level under the supervision of acknowledged experts. Participants emerge from the program with skills and abilities that rival those of graduate students, with resumes that are impossible to overlook. PABC student researchers have been incredibly successful in STEM competitions, earning recognition at every level of competition (local to international), as well as thousands of dollars in scholarships / cash prizes. PABC students have gone / will go on to study at Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Cornell, Penn State-Schreyer Honors, Notre Dame, and other noteworthy post-secondary research institutions.
Where can I find more information on the AP Chemistry Partnership Program?
Interested students should:
- Watch the Preliminary Details video at: https://www.wevideo.com/view/2109453770
- Request AP Chemistry during program planning.
- Attend the annual roll-out meeting. Invitations to this meeting are typically sent in mid-to-late March. The meeting typically occurs via Teams in the first week of April.
How do I apply? What does the application process entail? When is the application due?
The application will be discussed during the annual roll-out meeting, which typically occurs in the first week of April. You cannot start on the application early, as it frequently changes from year-to-year. In the past, the application has involved acquiring multiple teacher references and submitting a series of documents, including a resume, indemnification form, confidentiality agreement, proof of the Hepatitis B vaccine series, etc. Applicants also complete and submit several short, written statements in response to various prompts. Successful applicants must process a non-refundable, MyPaymentsPlus payment to help cover research expenses. Students who are part of the Free and Reduced Lunch Program are exempt from making this payment.
For more information, please watch the Preliminary Details video linked here:
https://www.wevideo.com/view/2109453770
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