What’s with all of the honors and AP courses? Why don’t they make regular courses more challenging?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: AP and magnet courses remains the last bastion of race-blind merit. They may not be perfect but that's all we have.

In the end, I don't want a heart surgeon operating on me who got into academic programs because they were under represented minorities.

I, personally, am more interested in the heart-surgery skills of my heart surgeon than their test scores when applying to college. But you do you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: AP and magnet courses remains the last bastion of race-blind merit. They may not be perfect but that's all we have.

In the end, I don't want a heart surgeon operating on me who got into academic programs because they were under represented minorities.

I, personally, am more interested in the heart-surgery skills of my heart surgeon than their test scores when applying to college. But you do you.

You are picking on an issue which does not seem to be really relevant. The PP was talking about ability vs identity (under represented minorities), while you were picking on which specific ability (the PP actually said nothing about test scores). It would be nice if you clarify: do you not agree with him/her on the "under represented minorities" part?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

I should add that only about 5% of the class even had an A average. Things were a little different (re grade inflation).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

That doesn't mean that the content has been watered down. It just means that more people take AP classes than used to. I think that's a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: AP and magnet courses remains the last bastion of race-blind merit. They may not be perfect but that's all we have.

In the end, I don't want a heart surgeon operating on me who got into academic programs because they were under represented minorities.

I, personally, am more interested in the heart-surgery skills of my heart surgeon than their test scores when applying to college. But you do you.

You are picking on an issue which does not seem to be really relevant. The PP was talking about ability vs identity (under represented minorities), while you were picking on which specific ability (the PP actually said nothing about test scores). It would be nice if you clarify: do you not agree with him/her on the "under represented minorities" part?

NP
The problem is that the poster equates identity with ability. Anyone who makes ridiculous statements like that is likely to assume than any URM didn't get to be a heart surgeon, lawyer, judge or whatever based on ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

That doesn't mean that the content has been watered down. It just means that more people take AP classes than used to. I think that's a good thing.

The problem is people aren't smarter than they were a few decades ago. When 30% of a class takes AP vs 3% there is a difference in the content.

[Anonymous]

Incentivising APs with additional grade points has made them more popular than ever but when coupled with the trend toward grade inflation, this has made them less rigorous than in the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

That doesn't mean that the content has been watered down. It just means that more people take AP classes than used to. I think that's a good thing.

The problem is people aren't smarter than they were a few decades ago. When 30% of a class takes AP vs 3% there is a difference in the content.

Yup when you have a greater pool of kids you can't got as fast or in depth etc.

All kids should be challenged but all kids can't handle AP, completely different things

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Incentivising APs with additional grade points has made them more popular than ever but when coupled with the trend toward grade inflation, this has made them less rigorous than in the past.

I wonder if the tests have been dumbed down like the SATs were back in the 90s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

That doesn't mean that the content has been watered down. It just means that more people take AP classes than used to. I think that's a good thing.

The problem is people aren't smarter than they were a few decades ago. When 30% of a class takes AP vs 3% there is a difference in the content.

No. The AP course is the AP course, whether it's taught at high schools that allow everybody to take the class who wants to or at high schools that only allow certain people to take the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

That doesn't mean that the content has been watered down. It just means that more people take AP classes than used to. I think that's a good thing.

The problem is people aren't smarter than they were a few decades ago. When 30% of a class takes AP vs 3% there is a difference in the content.

No. The AP course is the AP course, whether it's taught at high schools that allow everybody to take the class who wants to or at high schools that only allow certain people to take the class.

lol you can't be serious. There are schools where you have people taking AP that are several grade levels behind. There is no way that course is the same level of rigor as a course with students who are actually ready for college level material

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: AP and magnet courses remains the last bastion of race-blind merit. They may not be perfect but that's all we have.

In the end, I don't want a heart surgeon operating on me who got into academic programs because they were under represented minorities.

But you're ok with them if they got in because they were an athlete or a legacy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not be aware of this but today AP & honors classes are the regular classes. Over the years these have been watered down so that more people are able to participate. This has affected the rigor of these classes.

Do you have any evidence that the content of the AP US History class (for example) is less rigorous than it used to be at some point in the past (when?)?

NP who teaches APUSH. The course outline has not been watered down. I do feel that the new multiple choice questions based on documents require less historical knowledge. On the other hand, they may not be easier because sometimes they are subjective. Still many of the adults on DCUM who mock APs probably wouldn't pass.

Back when I was in public HS @FCPS, there was roughly a half-dozen AP classes offered and we didn't get extra grade points for taking them. From a class of 600, there was typically 30 kids enrolled in any one of these classes, but this was just the kids in the top 5% in terms of GPA.

That doesn't mean that the content has been watered down. It just means that more people take AP classes than used to. I think that's a good thing.

The problem is people aren't smarter than they were a few decades ago. When 30% of a class takes AP vs 3% there is a difference in the content.

No. The AP course is the AP course, whether it's taught at high schools that allow everybody to take the class who wants to or at high schools that only allow certain people to take the class.

lol you can't be serious. There are schools where you have people taking AP that are several grade levels behind. There is no way that course is the same level of rigor as a course with students who are actually ready for college level material

Here's the course: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-united-states-history