The National College Board allows high schools great flexibility in setting up this program.  No two schools approach it the same way.  The AP teacher at Reseda felt that  all 30 students in an average art class would never be AP material.  Maybe out of the 30, two to five students would have the interest or capabilities to master advanced art concepts.  Thus he began to find and to encourage the most promising students in the 10th grade.  By their senior year they would be "ready".  Because of this selectivity, the AP art class at Reseda never had more than 8 students.  These students took a double period for AP.  During the first hour, they were part of a full class of regular students.  During the second hour, which was the teacher's preparation period, they were alone with the instructor.  This allowed for much one-on-one attention.  Their teacher says, "This method worked for me.  If another art teacher felt a full class of students should have a shot at it, that's great.  If another felt that the AP work should be spread out over a two year period, that's fine too.  Whatever works best for them is the way to go, and that's the beauty of the AP concept." 

During this time, the AP Studio Art Portfolio consisted of 4 sections:  Drawing, Painting, Design, and 3-D (General rules and requirements were revised each year and have continued to be revised).