Josiah Sofidiya (285)

From 283 to 286, almost all Central High School students are familiar with the term “AP class.” If you aren’t, an Advanced Placement (AP) class is a college-level course that students can take in high school. According to the Central High School page on US News, sixty-one percent of students currently enrolled and are eligible have taken an AP exam, while forty-seven percent have passed an AP exam. Based on the data, many Central students have, are, and will likely take at least one AP course. Students at Central usually strive to be as great as the school’s reputation builds them up to be, and AP courses help them in doing that. However, there is a discussion to be held about the continued usefulness of the program in today’s educational landscape. 

There are several clear benefits to taking AP classes. First, they look good on college applications. Colleges are always seeking students who demonstrate hard work and readiness for a challenging college life. Ms. Harrington, an assistant principal and the head of the AP program at Central High School, mentioned that “it offers our students a rigorous curriculum that will help prepare them for studying on the college level.” Since AP classes typically have the rigor of a college course, passing them is usually seen as a strong indicator of a candidate’s readiness. Many students typically feel overwhelmed by the structure and difficulty of courses they take in college, but the AP program serves as a way to mitigate that by preparing them for the rigorous courses in college. Lastly, it can assist paying for college. Students with qualifying scores can earn college credits which could equate to thousands of dollars in savings. In addition, many scholarships require completion of challenging classes like AP classes or having a high GPA, which is often boosted by AP classes, to qualify for merit aid. 

Despite these benefits, taking an AP class comes with multiple drawbacks. The most obvious drawback is the time investment and stress. Saanvi Sheth (285), who initially enrolled in three AP courses, dropped one of them from her roster. When asked why, she said that she “had a lot of sports and activities, so [she] didn’t want to spend a lot of time doing homework.” Many Central students are already stressed over their fast-paced courses, test scores, and activities. AP classes, being college-level courses, can only add to that stress, leaving students feeling overwhelmed and out of their depth. Furthermore, AP courses can be very expensive. The cost of AP exams varies depending on the resources provided by the school. Central pays for most, if not all, of the resources for many of its AP classes. Lastly, what remains less known is how many colleges and universities will actually accept AP credits. As Paul Weinstein highlights in his article, “Diminishing Credit: How Colleges and Universities Restrict the Use of Advanced Placement,” 44% of schools do not accept a score of 3 on the AP exams. . This is in combination with the fact that many schools have a cap on how many AP credits can be given. While this depends on the school and department that the class applies to, fewer schools are accepting these credits each year.

Overall, taking an AP class is up to the students. If they can manage the workload and enjoy the subject or want it for their college applications, they should go for it. To make sure it’s the right fit for them, as Zemzem Saif (283) told me, “Talk to the teacher, talk to students who’ve taken the course.” If they don’t believe they can handle the stress or achieve the required college score, then perhaps it’s not the right choice for them. Central students often fall into a trap of needing to do the most they can in order to put themselves in the best position to succeed. It’s a valuable yet potentially toxic mentality that can negatively impact both the mind and body. No matter what a student does, they can find success and get into a good college, as everybody approaches their own path in life. All courses at Central are rigorous and prepare students for life beyond high school.