GGUSD Students Excel with Advanced Placement Accolades

This year, more than 1,000 Advanced Placement (AP) awards were granted to Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) students who have excelled in their AP courses and exams, demonstrating college-level academic success. 

Fifty-one GGUSD students were named 2017 National AP Scholars, an honor given to students who receive an average score of 4 or higher on all AP exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more AP exams.  This is the highest honor an AP student can achieve.  Of the district’s National AP Scholars, two are Bolsa Grande High School students, 14 are from Garden Grove High School, 20 attend La Quinta High School, 13 attend Pacifica High School,  and two attend Rancho Alamitos High School. 


“The quality of instruction our students are receiving in their AP courses is among the best in state,” said Bob Harden, Board of Education vice president. “Our students are really committed to taking advantage of our excellent AP program so that they have a competitive edge when applying to college.”

Garden Grove high School student Scott Belair has been recognized three years in a row as a 2015 AP Scholar in ninth grade, a 2016 AP Scholar with Distinction in tenth grade, and a 2017 National AP Scholar in eleventh grade.  As a junior, he has passed 16 AP exams, and is currently managing a peer calculus lab on campus to help his classmates.

GGUSD students also earned 456 AP Scholar awards for earning 3 or higher on three or more AP exams, and 201 AP Scholar with Honors awards for students who receive an average of 3.25 on all AP exams taken and 3 or higher on four or more exams.  AP Scholar with Distinction awards were given to 298 students for receiving an average of 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams.