AP Classes and Tests: Should They Qualify as College Courses?

“If you’re being told that AP is a college course, you’re being told things that are not true,” says Douglas Taylor who chairs the university of Virginia biology department.   AP is simply the fancy abbreviation for advanced placement college courses. Truly, AP classes will never be equivalent of the college curriculum no matter how rigorous they are. It is like limits in Calculus; AP classes are always approaching a certain level of higher academics, but never achieving that level. As the college becomes more competitive and the acceptance to the college becomes more brutal, the AP courses become more popular among the high school students hoping to get an edge over admissions. AP program is created to offer ambitious students a chance to learn college courses in advance; however, the purpose is turning to the other side of the aisle. Under the surface level of thinking, AP is merely the best-know filigree for the college application. 

Students who want their transcript to seem outstanding pack all kinds of APs on their limited academic plates. Schools easily offer more AP classes to satisfy their high ranking thirst. The purpose pf AP begins to be twisted invisibly in consequence of such selfish actions. “We have to pick up our pace. We need to cover all the stuff before the May exam.” Most AP instructors often lament to students as they flip a page on the calendar. In an amount of time, teachers must choose either breadth or depth. They most likely would like to choose breadth over depth, because their ultimate aim is to attain the highest possible grade on the AP examinations. Consequently, during the long-term preparation, students woefully give up their creative minds and thorough understanding of the subject. The aim of AP class is no longer to stretch the students’ academic pursuit which is the deeper understanding of phenomenon. Rather, it is the long tunnel to the 5 points.