▁( out ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁high ▁schools ) ▁for ▁students ▁scoring ▁highest ▁on ▁the ▁nation ally ▁admin ister ed ▁Advanced ▁P lacement ▁Test s , ▁by ▁College ▁Board , ▁the ▁association ▁which ▁gover ns ▁AP ▁programs ▁and ▁its ▁related ▁courses ▁throughout ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁College ▁Board ▁reported ▁that ▁ 1 7 . 9 % ▁of ▁North western ' s ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁gradu ates ▁earned ▁a ▁passing ▁score ▁of ▁ 3 ▁or ▁higher , ▁( the ▁highest ▁being ▁a ▁ 5 ) ▁which ▁is ▁above ▁the ▁national ▁average ▁of ▁ 1 4 . 1 %. ▁This ▁achiev ement ▁ranked ▁North western ▁behind ▁only ▁the ▁county ' s ▁leading ▁high ▁school , ▁Ele an or ▁Ro ose vel t , ▁which ▁has ▁consist ently ▁ranked ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁county ▁due ▁largely ▁in ▁part ▁to ▁its ▁special ized ▁Science ▁and ▁Technology ▁Center ▁magnet ▁program . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁North western ▁had ▁achieved ▁this ▁distinction . ▁North western ' s ▁closest ▁cont ender ▁in ▁the ▁county ▁is ▁the ▁academ ically ▁notable ▁B owie ▁High ▁School , ▁which ▁received ▁a ▁rating ▁of ▁ 1 3 . 2 %. ▁ ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland ▁Coll abor ative ▁Project ▁magnet ▁program ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁extending ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁North western ▁hous ed ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland ▁Coll abor ative ▁Project ▁continu ation ▁magnet ▁program , ▁for ▁students ▁who ▁were ▁en rolled ▁in ▁a ▁middle