Baltimore County Public Schools strives to create a college-bound culture in which all students graduate ready for college and career success. A number of initiatives contribute to this culture.

• A longstanding partnership between BCPS and the College Board provides students with access to a wide range of services and activities including:
• An average of 17 Advanced Placement classes per high school.
• PSAT offered to all Grade 9 and Grade 10 students at no cost to them or their families.
• SAT online practice tests and response explanations. (See the College Board Web site, www.collegeboard.com/coursedemo, for a free explanation of the SAT online course. In addition to taking a practice test online, go to www.satonlinecourseschool.com.)

A longstanding partnership between BCPS and the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) increases a seamless rigorous curriculum from middle to high school as students transition to college and features:   

• The Gateway College Preparatory project, which gives Grade 8 students from designated middle schools exposure to a college environment by a one-day visit to CCBC or Morgan State University. 
• College to Career, a new initiative that allows selected students to graduate from BCPS with both high school diplomas and AA degrees.
• Parallel Enrollment Programs, which allow students to take college classes while in high school.

Still more BCPS college-readiness activities include:

• The Accuplacer assessment, taken in Grade 10, a tool which measures whether a student is on the academic track for high school rigorous courses for college success.
• Coach classes.
• PSAT/SAT preparation classes.