In the spring of 2009, more than one million high school students took Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Since it began in the 1950s, the AP program has allowed numerous high school students across the United States to take many of their high school courses at a college level stature. At the end of each course, students then take comprehensive exams to test their knowledge in order to earn college credit. While there are those who contend that the AP program has some positive aspects, many people would argue that this program does more harm than good for students. According to David W. Oxtoby, president of Pomona College, the truth about advanced placement courses is that taking such courses throughout high school will not necessarily prepare
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Requiring teachers to follow a strict and specific guideline for a particular course diminishes their freedom to educate their students in ways that they see fit. In fact, many critics have commented that the AP program strikes a resemblance to initiatives such as No Child Left Behind, which requires schools to structure their curriculum around standardized tests. Michael McGill, superintendent of Scarsdale public schools in Westchester County, N.Y., writes, "This standardizing threatens to undermine the special character that 's the source of educational excellence. By definition, excellence is distinctive" (McGill). Since there is an obligation to cover certain material that will be on exams, teachers of AP courses are not able to explore particular subjects in depth. Many critics would argue that important topics go unaddressed in many AP courses because of the strict curriculum. Also, the comment has been made that courses that provide an in depth synopsis of subjects can sometimes be more valuable to …show more content…
Currently, AP classes and test scores have provided a way for more prosperous high school students to distinguish themselves from less advantaged students on college applications, thus furthering inequality in higher education. While there is an increasing number of less advantaged students taking AP courses, most AP students, especially those who do well in the classes, still tend to go to better-funded, higher-achieving schools. Many critics state that AP courses have provided yet another advantage for wealthy students over others when it comes to being admitted into college. There are those who believe that the AP program has drifted away from its original intentions of preparing students for higher education. . Rodney LaBrecque, head of the college preparatory school the Wilbraham & Monson Academy, writes that "the Advanced Placement system has metamorphosed into something far from its founders ' intentions,” (qtd. in Do Advanced Placement (AP) classes benefit U.S. students?). He also explains, “Today its de facto purpose is to provide privileged high school students with a credential for college admission,” (qtd. in Do Advanced Placement (AP) classes benefit
Requiring teachers to follow a strict and specific guideline for a particular course diminishes their freedom to educate their students in ways that they see fit. In fact, many critics have commented that the AP program strikes a resemblance to initiatives such as No Child Left Behind, which requires schools to structure their curriculum around standardized tests. Michael McGill, superintendent of Scarsdale public schools in Westchester County, N.Y., writes, "This standardizing threatens to undermine the special character that 's the source of educational excellence. By definition, excellence is distinctive" (McGill). Since there is an obligation to cover certain material that will be on exams, teachers of AP courses are not able to explore particular subjects in depth. Many critics would argue that important topics go unaddressed in many AP courses because of the strict curriculum. Also, the comment has been made that courses that provide an in depth synopsis of subjects can sometimes be more valuable to …show more content…
Currently, AP classes and test scores have provided a way for more prosperous high school students to distinguish themselves from less advantaged students on college applications, thus furthering inequality in higher education. While there is an increasing number of less advantaged students taking AP courses, most AP students, especially those who do well in the classes, still tend to go to better-funded, higher-achieving schools. Many critics state that AP courses have provided yet another advantage for wealthy students over others when it comes to being admitted into college. There are those who believe that the AP program has drifted away from its original intentions of preparing students for higher education. . Rodney LaBrecque, head of the college preparatory school the Wilbraham & Monson Academy, writes that "the Advanced Placement system has metamorphosed into something far from its founders ' intentions,” (qtd. in Do Advanced Placement (AP) classes benefit U.S. students?). He also explains, “Today its de facto purpose is to provide privileged high school students with a credential for college admission,” (qtd. in Do Advanced Placement (AP) classes benefit