Who should be allowed to Take AP Classes?
As students anxiously await the results of their AP tests and struggle to cram for upcoming finals, the question arises: Should there be qualifications to determine placement in these rigorous courses?
Some schools require prerequisites or placement tests before a student can enroll in an AP class. Their students tend to perform better both in class and on the AP exams. This evidence leads to the argument that if students demonstrate readiness, then they are placed in a classroom where they are able to succeed.
However, this argument is not that simple. Historically, restricting access to advanced classes – intended or not – has often excluded students of color or those from under-resourced academic backgrounds. This makes it difficult to determine the fine line between AP readiness and exclusion.
At Campolindo, the current system for determining AP readiness relies primarily on teacher recommendations and student choice. For the most part, students can enroll in whichever AP classes they choose, regardless of whether they’re academically prepared.
Junior Patricia Davila Gil, is currently taking multiple APs this year, including AP Chemistry and Art History. When asked why she chose these courses, she credited some to her teachers’ encouragement. “My chem teacher told me I’d be really good at it, because I did really well in sophomore Chemites. She was wrong.”
However in her other class, she explains “My sophomore year, I took AP Euro, and I loved it. It was an amazing class. So I wanted to take another history class, and I found AP Art History intriguing” Her mixed experience in these two classes raises an interesting point: While prior performance and encouragement matter, interest could be the determining factor of readiness for AP-level rigor.
Speaking about whether she supports a system that sets an academic criteria for taking APs, she said, “Honestly, I wouldn’t mind that system. I think it makes more sense, because it’s useless to try to get into an AP that you’re kind of destined to fail…So yeah, I agree with that policy.”
Another student, Sophomore Leah Campbell echoed her concerns, saying, “If you have bad grades and you’re gonna push yourself to take those hard classes and do poorly, then I don’t think that’s beneficial to you.”
Although qualifications may help students succeed in the short term, they also have the ability to reinforce inequality if not handled carefully. The key is somewhere in the middle: a system that considers past performance, teacher input, and student motivation. And while there may never be a perfect answer, as students prepare for their next academic year, the question isn’t just “Are you ready for the AP?” Rather students should also consider “What would help you get there?”
