Spring-Ford High senior gets perfect score on AP research paper

Spring-Ford High School senior Noah Ott is one in 357.

That is to say he is one of the only 357 students, out of the 30,000 worldwide, to earn a perfect score on a college-level Advance Placement research paper submitted to the College Board this spring.

Ott is the third Spring-Ford student to earn a perfect score in the past 10 years. He joins Amanda Jurewicz, Class of 2013, and Navya Murahari, Class of 2021.

“We are so excited that Noah had the opportunity to pursue a research topic that was of great interest to him. We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication he gave to the research and writing process that earned him a perfect score,” said Jaclyn Ritter and Julie Korchowsky, AP teachers.

In his paper, Liminality, Horror, and The Shining, Noah examined the impact of liminality on the horror genre in Stanley Kubrick’s adaption of Stephen King’s novel “The Shining.” Liminality refers to a rite of passage and defines a person’s transition to a position of higher status in society. He implemented a content analysis to determine the extent to which the movie, through both its plot and cinematography, represents the literary conceptualization of liminality.

AP Research allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest. Students design, plan, and implement a yearlong investigation to address a research question. Through this inquiry, they further the skills they acquired in the accompanying AP Seminar course by learning research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information.

Students reflect on their skill development, document their processes and curate the artifacts of their scholarly work through a process and reflection portfolio. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000-5,000 words (accompanied by a performance, exhibit, or product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense.

AP Research is the second of two offerings in the College Board Program, AP Capstone.

Spring-Ford’s AP course offerings cover the breadth of information, skills and assignments found in corresponding college courses; align with the standards and expectations of leading liberal arts and research institutions; and provide motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to study and learn at the college level, according to a release issued by the district.

Most U.S. colleges and many international ones have an AP Credit Policy that allows students who have taken AP courses or exams to earn college credit, placement or both. Students who succeed in AP save a significant amount of time and money by earning college credit or placement in high school.