Advanced Placement classes: college-level courses offered to students in high school. There are many upsides to taking AP classes. By taking them, high school students are able to show colleges they are prepared for college level work, earn college credit, higher GPAs and explore exciting new subjects outside of the usual school curricula. These are challenging courses that cover a lot of material and heavy workloads, yet so many students sign up for these courses across the country for these benefits.
Junior year is supposed to be the most difficult year of high school. It is the year when students are supposed to buckle down and load up on AP courses, all while holding leadership roles in clubs and teams, and maybe even doing some prep for standardized tests. As a current junior in high school, I can tell you my workload is anything but easy. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a favorable balance between school, homework, extracurriculars and sleep. Yet I often find myself thinking “Am I even taking enough APs?”
Compared to many of my peers, who are taking anything upwards of five or six AP courses this year, my schedule seems like a cakewalk. But I know I wouldn’t be able to handle more AP courses. In a way, education has become toxic; it is like it is a competition between students to see who can take the most APs. Not only that, but you have to get good grades in those classes. I’m not saying that all competition among students is necessarily bad. I think that with a moderate amount of competition, students are encouraged to do their best at school.
But first all, from where did all this increased competition come?
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In society today, the value we place on education is increasing, with more and more jobs requiring at least a bachelor’s degree in college or higher. Along with this comes the increase in college tuition, and the increase in competition for entrance into the best colleges. Because these colleges have large numbers of applicants to choose from each year, they can afford to be selective with their acceptances. Most of the time, this means that only students with higher GPAs and standardized testing scores will be accepted. Now it seems that only students who take a crazy amount of APs are considered for admission to the top colleges.
So how many APs is enough? Well, it depends on who you ask.
For college admissions, the more the better. After all, they are looking for college readiness and students capable of college level work. For students, it could be what subjects they are interested in, or for what the colleges they want to attend are looking. For me as a student, it is a combination of both, and also how many that would result in a favorable balance. I want to challenge myself and show I am prepared for college by taking more AP courses, yet I know that my health won’t allow me to do that.
Shavonne Lin is a junior at San Mateo High School. Student News appears in the weekend edition. You can email Student News at news@smdailyjournal.com.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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