AP Classes to be Eliminated by 2022

[Anonymous]

Has anyone else gotten an email from their school's head about this? NCS and STA parents got a notice this morning, and it appears that most of the other best-regarded independent schools in DC have also decided to eliminate AP classes: Sidwell, GDS, Holton, Landon, Maret, Potomac.

Personally, I think it is a great move. The AP insanity has taken over high schools.

[Anonymous]

But won't these classes just be replaced by classes that are equally demanding, but not called "AP?"

[Anonymous]

I don't get the whole AP thing. So you don't have to take some courses in college? My kids will be expected to do well in the basic courses and then can specialize once they get to university, like I did. What is the rush?

[Anonymous]

Not sure what to make of it other than that certain schools favored by the wealthy are trying to game the system to ensure their kids don't have compete with smarter kids, particularly Asians, at area public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what to make of it other than that certain schools favored by the wealthy are trying to game the system to ensure their kids don't have compete with smarter kids, particularly Asians, at area public schools.

Is this a joke? You don't think that the private schools have Asian students, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what to make of it other than that certain schools favored by the wealthy are trying to game the system to ensure their kids don't have compete with smarter kids, particularly Asians, at area public schools.

They compete just fine. The area private schools still get every high percentages of their students into top schools. And they do it with the rampant grade inflation that you find area public schools.

[Anonymous]

I was happy to get the e-mail today. Long overdue and happy to decrease some of the insanity.

[Anonymous]

AP classes were designed for families who hope to save some money by have their kids get through college more quickly by skipping the freshman requirements. Its also been a way to "prove" that public schools are teaching advanced classes by using prescribed college level instruction and then publishing the number of those kidws who pass the exam with a 4 or 5. The problem is that the AP classes are rote and all the critical thinking and natural progression and tangential learning are removed.

There is no need for AP classes in top private schools like the ones named in this thread. Honors and advanced classes in these schools, with a little extra studying, is all that is necessary to pass the AP exam with a 4 or 5. Plus, colleges are already very aware of the high level or teaching and expectations at the top privates so "A"s really mean something and there is no need for weighting grades. Overall, APs just arent needed in private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what to make of it other than that certain schools favored by the wealthy are trying to game the system to ensure their kids don't have compete with smarter kids, particularly Asians, at area public schools.

That makes zero logical sense.

Everyone is still taking the same AP exams, the same standardized test, and privates have never been the schools gaming the system by weighting GPAs. Plus, there are many Asian students at the best private schools like Sidwell, STA, Potomac, Holton, and the rest.

This is about the fact that students at the best privates don't need to take an AP class to do well on AP exams or to prove that their classes are being taught at the highest level. AP classes are a gimmick.

[Anonymous]

Most kids at my private HS didn’t take AP classes. They might take some AP exams, but the classes didn’t follow the AP curriculum, for the most part. Instead most of the honors classes went beyond what the AP curriculum entails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids at my private HS didn’t take AP classes. They might take some AP exams, but the classes didn’t follow the AP curriculum, for the most part. Instead most of the honors classes went beyond what the AP curriculum entails.

I should note that this was at Andover 15 years ago. Not sure how many other private schools were also moving away from AP classes at that point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP classes were designed for families who hope to save some money by have their kids get through college more quickly by skipping the freshman requirements. Its also been a way to "prove" that public schools are teaching advanced classes by using prescribed college level instruction and then publishing the number of those kidws who pass the exam with a 4 or 5. The problem is that the AP classes are rote and all the critical thinking and natural progression and tangential learning are removed.



There is no need for AP classes in top private schools like the ones named in this thread. Honors and advanced classes in these schools, with a little extra studying, is all that is necessary to pass the AP exam with a 4 or 5. Plus, colleges are already very aware of the high level or teaching and expectations at the top privates so "A"s really mean something and there is no need for weighting grades. Overall, APs just arent needed in private schools.

I completely disagree with your characterization of AP exams as rote as least for subjects like math, the sciences, comp sci, and languages. They are generally in line with a typical freshman college final exam in these subjects.

While the AP exams may have originally been designed for college credit, they now provide a sold national-lever curriculum, which the US is sorely lacking. Similar to O levels in the UK. While you might quibble with some of the test questions, in general they are solid.

[Anonymous]

I would assume the kids will still take the tests. This is what happens in the MCPS IB and SMAC magnets. They do not use the AP curriculum but the kids still take the tests. The magnet curriculums are usually more challenging.

[Anonymous]

The seven top private schools in the area issued a joint statement that they’re all eliminating AP. According to the Post, before “dropping AP, the schools surveyed nearly 150 colleges and universities about the potential impact. They said admission officers assured them the change would not hurt the chances of their students.”

Of course it won’t. Privilege begets privilege.

[Anonymous]

As a Holton parent I’m thrilled. One reason I send my daughter there is to have the option of taking interesting classes and not just something that was designed to be the same across thousands of schools. Holton is already expanding their offerings and I like the direction they’re headed. With the switch to trimesters last year they have even more latitude to develop cool classes. I went to a similar school in the 80’s in Boston and I had history classes for one trimester on the Holocaust, Russian History etc.

It’s a win win.