McAuley earns AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for 5th Year

Mother McAuley has earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) for the fifth year in a row. Schools honored with an AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded access to AP computer science courses for female students in their communities. 

During the 2023-24 school year, 1,153 institutions achieved an AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for CSA, CSP or both courses. Mother McAuley was one of only 847 recognized for improving female representation in AP CSP, and one of only six in the archdiocese of Chicago.

AP Computer Science Principles, which first launched in the 2016-17 school year, continues to grow. Providing young women with access to computer science courses is necessary to ensure gender equity in the industry’s high-paying jobs and to drive innovation, creativity, and representation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for computer and mathematical occupations was $104,200 in 2023. However, women represent just 26.9% of the 6.5 million people employed in the same fields. 

That’s why College Board research about AP CSP is so encouraging. According to the data, female students who take AP CSP in high school are more than five times as likely to major in computer science in college, compared to female students of similar background and academic preparation who didn’t take AP CSP. The study also finds AP Computer Science Principles students are nearly twice as likely to enroll in AP Computer Science A (CSA), and that for most students, AP CSP serves as a stepping stone to other advanced AP STEM coursework.

Mother McAuley is proud to be a recipient of this award in their mission to empower young women and provide them with access and opportunities needed to find their passions and successfully pursue their careers of choice.