My fellow columnist Ashley Spinks recently argued for a rather drastic policy change across the schools at the University: stop granting credit or exemption for Advanced Placement (AP) scores. Ms. Spinks went on to elucidate the ways in which AP courses fail to prepare students appropriately for college and often do not even cover the same material as the courses they are intended to replace; she even cites an interesting Dartmouth study that convinced the school’s administrators to enact the very policy change she wishes to see at the University. She concluded by calling the granting of course credit on the basis of high AP scores an “empty or even fraudulent gesture.”
There is merit to this argument. The most appropriate evaluation of the effectiveness of AP tests, however, is not a one-sided account that simply looks at a single aspect — whether such tests cover roughly the same material as their congruent university courses — but rather a costs-benefits approach that weighs the pros and cons of supporting the “AP system” that is currently in place across the country. When we fully consider all the aspects, we are led to question the conclusion that drastic changes are needed in the University’s admissions or credit-granting processes.
First, Ms. Spinks’ account of her experience with AP tests is — as she admits — an anecdotal one. I could cite a number of people, this columnist included, who found the AP courses at their high schools to be both highly engaging and adequately preparatory for the challenges of college. I cannot claim that the material I learned in my AP courses was the same as those in the introductory college courses I was aiming to skip; I can claim, though, that I felt prepared for the subsequent courses I pursued. For example, I knew many individuals in my 3000-level economics course who had received AP exemption from the introductory courses in economics. They fared no better or worse than the University students who took the “Principles in Economics” sequence. Similar stories abound across the disciplines. My evidence is, like Ms. Spinks’, anecdotal. However, I seek merely to point out that experiences vary widely, and for some students AP courses are adequate preparation for college’s rigors.
Even if we are to operate under the questionable assumption that AP courses are, in all cases, inadequate representations of the college courses they replace, we do not have to conclude that they are worthless. Realistically, we must learn to speak of AP courses not merely as “college-preparatory” courses designed to give students a rigorous, college-level experience, but also as a reward system for students who are willing to put in significant effort in high school. Granting exemption from introductory courses for those students who put in exceptional effort in high school is an efficient and appropriate way to incentivize scholastic achievement prior to entering college. Put simply, you can get students to work harder if they are guaranteed tangible rewards like course exemptions. We should be wary of destroying a system that has motivated so many students to reach for greater heights at their high schools.
Do we risk overwhelming students who come in with many AP credits and find themselves
struggling in higher-level classes? Yes, of course we do. But that is a problem that can be remedied with higher standards for scoring on the AP tests. Perhaps a “5” should be more difficult to attain, or perhaps credit should only be granted for students who receive this top score. If the problem is lax standards, then the solution is to tighten those standards, not eliminate AP credit altogether.
Moreover, introductory courses are not always — and perhaps even infrequently — easier than subsequent courses. Often, introductory courses are more synonymous with “general subject matter” rather than “lower level of critical thinking.” AP students may struggle just as much in introductory courses as they do in higher-level courses; their hard work in high school, then, should at least give them a head start in pursuing their academic interests by letting them skip more general courses. Now, those students who wish to take introductory courses in topics outside their intended course of study will always do so — I have taken multiple introductory courses in subjects that I do not intend to major in. But having the option to skip these classes, especially if I plan to major in the subject and want to explore more material in greater detail, is valuable. In addition, just because AP students find certain courses challenging does not mean that they would struggle less had they taken the introductory classes first.
In sum, the decision to eliminate AP course credit from the University is a complex decision that would have ramifications far beyond those examined in Ms. Spinks’ article. We should consider the incentive structure in place that motivates high school students to challenge themselves before getting to college, and we should be wary of concluding that AP courses inadequately prepare students for the rigor of college simply because the material in the high school classes doesn’t align with material in the college courses. Precisely matching subject matter with subject matter is not a prerequisite for a rigorous, college-preparatory course. The AP system is certainly not perfect, and Ms. Spinks points out some issues that demand attention. The solution, however, requires the fine adjustments of a scalpel rather than the violent excising of the kitchen knife. We should not eliminate AP credit-granting from the University.
Russell Bogue is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. His columns run Thursdays.
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