St Anselm’s Abbey School — an AP mill?

[Anonymous]

On another thread someone mentioned this, and quite frankly, I have been wondering the same for a while now as my son nears the age where he will start applying out to other schools. It’s been on our list and the school is convenient to us, has a good reputation, and a lot of positives, but as a few other area privates (and well known colleges) are moving away from putting so much emphasis on the AP grind, SAAS seems to still be big on that front, unless there has been some new development of which I am completely unaware.

Anyone have any thoughts or insight on the subject? Why do they put so much focus on AP classes there?

[Anonymous]

NP here. Why wouldn’t it be good to focus on APs? Grade inflation is rampant in private’s that it is at least a way to prove that the student can do the work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. Why wouldn’t it be good to focus on APs? Grade inflation is rampant in private’s that it is at least a way to prove that the student can do the work.

Is there any proof that our area private’s all have rampant grade inflation? Is it any worse than the public schools?

[Anonymous]

Many area private schools are actually known for grade deflation and have moved away from AP exams because they test the superficial in any given subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many area private schools are actually known for grade deflation and have moved away from AP exams because they test the superficial in any given subject.

Don’t agree that AP exams test the superficial, but as a Big 3 parent, my guess is that privates want to distinguish their product and that one of the draws for teachers in private schools is that they have creative freedom to develop their classes. My DC took several AP classes and the school almost tried not to prepare them (covering the whole historical period, etc.). It is better to eliminate the AP label so there is no false advertising.

[Anonymous]

We toured SAAS last year and I had the complete opposite impression - that they were more concerned about offering a rigorous education than in setting kids up for easy admissions to the most selective school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We toured SAAS last year and I had the complete opposite impression - that they were more concerned about offering a rigorous education than in setting kids up for easy admissions to the most selective school.

Regardless, did you feel like the AP emphasis was too much?

[Anonymous]

SAAS is known for giving kids some grades that will be an awaking for them - IMO there is no grade inflation there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many area private schools are actually known for grade deflation and have moved away from AP exams because they test the superficial in any given subject.

Don’t agree that AP exams test the superficial, but as a Big 3 parent, my guess is that privates want to distinguish their product and that one of the draws for teachers in private schools is that they have creative freedom to develop their classes. My DC took several AP classes and the school almost tried not to prepare them (covering the whole historical period, etc.). It is better to eliminate the AP label so there is no false advertising.

You do have creative freedom to develop AP classes, you just have to do the work to submit it for approval. For example, the Abbey has 16 different versions of AP Literature and Composition, courses ranging from African American Literature, to Magical Realism, to Shakespeare, Logic and Morality in Literature, and Representations of Women in Literature. All approved for AP credit. Some also complain that their experience of AP classes is the it is too broad and not deep. However, in a tiny school with really bright kids, there is more time to cover the AP and then some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We toured SAAS last year and I had the complete opposite impression - that they were more concerned about offering a rigorous education than in setting kids up for easy admissions to the most selective school.

Regardless, did you feel like the AP emphasis was too much?

They offer 26 APs, but lots of non-AP courses too. When you say "too much" do you mean too hard because kids will graduate with 8-10 AP classes if they want to? My impression of the boys that is that this is not too hard for them. They'd take more classes if the day was longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We toured SAAS last year and I had the complete opposite impression - that they were more concerned about offering a rigorous education than in setting kids up for easy admissions to the most selective school.

Regardless, did you feel like the AP emphasis was too much?

You could go through high school and take only 3 APs if you wanted to; there are plenty of non AP choices if you really don't like AP for whatever reason. But if you did, you'd miss out on some amazing teachers and fantastic courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We toured SAAS last year and I had the complete opposite impression - that they were more concerned about offering a rigorous education than in setting kids up for easy admissions to the most selective school.

Regardless, did you feel like the AP emphasis was too much?

You could go through high school and take only 3 APs if you wanted to; there are plenty of non AP choices if you really don't like AP for whatever reason. But if you did, you'd miss out on some amazing teachers and fantastic courses.

I'll take that as a yes.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I am not saying that SAAS is not an excellent school nor that it’s students can’t handle the AP load. Yet their average AP coarse load seems to be incredibly high, thus why I am asking this question. Especially in light of the fact that many of the most selective private high schools and universities seem to be moving away from so putting much emphasis on AP courses and credits.

Personally, I want to head that my worries are unfounded, but I also want honest dialog on the topic, regardless of whether you’re a SAAS parent or not. It’s a valid issue that has nothing to do with whether the school itself is great in every other way or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am not saying that SAAS is not an excellent school nor that it’s students can’t handle the AP load. Yet their average AP coarse load seems to be incredibly high, thus why I am asking this question. Especially in light of the fact that many of the most selective private high schools and universities seem to be moving away from so putting much emphasis on AP courses and credits.

Personally, I want to head that my worries are unfounded, but I also want honest dialog on the topic, regardless of whether you’re a SAAS parent or not. It’s a valid issue that has nothing to do with whether the school itself is great in every other way or not.

Ugh. Sorry for the typos. I need more coffee even though my it’s the middle of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAAS is known for giving kids some grades that will be an awaking for them - IMO there is no grade inflation there.

What do you mean that they will be an awakening?