AP Classes: Are they really worth it?
As students age and mature, their courses in school become more rigorous. Even with all of the stress that comes along with these classes, students find themselves constantly challenging their intellect and management capabilities.
A question that arises within many students is if all the stress that comes along with AP classes is really worth it. This becomes an even more apparent matter when evaluating AP test scores at Licking Valley.
In the past five years, passage rates of AP tests in our school have steadily declined. According to a summary presented on College Board, in 2012, 46% of Licking Valley students taking AP classes passed the final exam at the end of the year. In 2016, that percentage had decreased to 25%. This is especially peculiar considering the number of students taking AP classes at Licking Valley increased from 92 students in 2012 to 121 students in 2016.
Compared to state and national AP passage percentages, Valley seems to trail behind. In 2012, 67% of students in Ohio taking AP exams passed, and in 2016 it was 64%. Nationally, 61% of students passed the exam in 2012, and 60% passed in 2016. These percentages are significantly larger than those Valley claims.
When asked about her opinion on why AP passage rates may be decreasing, senior Lexi Sidwell explains, “I’ve never passed an AP test and I’ve passed the classes with an A. The tests are super hard and the teachers move really fast and then you come back to it and you have no idea what you’re doing.” The fast pace of the class is to be expected, but still serves as an obstacle for many students.
AP teachers throughout the school also have theories for the recent decrease. AP Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Stuckwisch, explains, “Over the past couple of years, I feel like there has been a push for students to take more AP classes. Students who have multiple AP classes may not have the time or willpower to dedicate what they need to for each class.”
The intensity of AP classes can be frustrating for students and may discourage them from putting all of their effort into it.
Mr. Weaver also shared his thoughts on the decline: “Another factor in the falling scores, in my opinion, is the expected decline that comes when schools (and teachers) implement something new instructionally. It takes time for measures of success to stabilize, regardless of the impact of the change.” Among these changes is the grading system, which has impacted both teachers and students drastically.
Junior Savannah Patterson has high hopes for her AP courses this year. She says, “I think I’m going to do pretty good because I usually do well in higher level classes. As long as I understand the material, I think I’ll do pretty well.”
