Check out this 5-minute video clip that was featured in the NYTimes Op Ed video library on January 25. "Op Ed: Advanced Pressure." I think every student who takes or considers taking an AP class should see this. I think every parent of every student who takes an AP class should see this. And, I think every AP teacher should see this, too.
My favorite quote in the video clip is from Dr. Deborah Stipek, Dean of the School of Education at Stanford:
“One of the original purposes of AP classes was to give students a jump start on taking college classes, and I think there was some belief that there were some students who were really ready to take college level courses. Unfortunately, it has turned into a kind of gate keeper to many universities. So now it’s not going deeper, really challenging yourself, it’s how many AP classes can I rack up so that I have more AP classes than the people I’m competing with? High school now has become preparation for the college application; not even for college, just the college application. And it creates a mentality that is expressed very well by my daughter who after her AP French test, said, ‘I never have to speak French again.’”
Add to that the insanity of GPA inflation. Imagine a world where the highest possible GPA was 4.0. Well, actually, I lived in that world when I went to college (20+ years ago) and getting into state universities was not nearly as difficult as it is now. Back then, only the brightest students took AP courses in high school and usually because they excelled in those subjects and had a real desire to learn more about them, not because their counselors, parents or friends suggested they take them to add weight to their GPA for college applications.
If you liked this video clip, check out the entire movie “Race to Nowhere.” The DVD will include extras like this clip. And, please feel free to pass along this video link to anyone.
Do you have any comments on AP classes, grade point inflation or college admissions?
