Proposed changes to AP classes will benefit Costa’s students

By Eric Zheng
Opinion Editor

For many of Mira Costa’s students, the College Board’s Advanced Placement tests create an extremely strenuous schedule with countless hours spent studying, memorizing and cramming.

Fortunately, proposed changes to AP classes, starting with AP U.S. history and biology, for the 2012-13 school year will be finalized February. These revisions will lessen the burden on students while increasing understanding of the subjects.

College Board’s main revisions include decreasing the amount of content, creating a more analytical exam and changing the focus of AP classes. The proposed revisions will improve AP classes and the students’ experience.

These changes address a disturbing trend regarding AP classes; more students are failing AP tests and fewer universities are giving college credit for AP classes. For example, according to the New York Times, the mean score has dropped from 3.18 to 2.63 out of a possible 5 points since 1997.

To better prepare students for college, the College Board’s proposed revisions will completely change the current AP biology and U.S. history classes and the way they are taught.

First, the proposals will reduce the breadth of content covered on AP Exams. The decision to reduce the sheer volume of information will allow students time to comprehend material rather than just memorize.

Changes to the amount of content will also make AP classes much more similar to college. Some of Costa’s biology and history teachers believe the topics covered in AP biology and U.S. history are generally covered much more thoroughly in two or more years of college classes. Rushing through content in an AP class is not effective in helping students develop the necessary skills to excel after high school.

College Board also plans to alter the exam. The new Biology exam will feature more math-based free response questions and fewer multiple choice questions, causing students to develop valuable analytical skills.

In addition to the reduction in content, College Board plans to shift the focus of these classes. For the first time ever, College Board will release course outlines with a standard curriculum for teachers.

These outlines are planned to center around interactive activities, in-depth comprehension questions and experiments to develop the critical thinking skills needed for college.

But, despite any potential benefits, the College Board should not attempt to define the structure of classes; the curriculum framework should only be decided by teachers. The College Board should not be allowed to dictate curriculum for the entire nation.

By reforming the AP system, College Board is taking a step to improve AP classes and students’ learning. Reducing content allows students to obtain more valuable skills and knowledge, but dictating curriculum is the problem; it does not help students learn and should not be College Board’s responsibility.

However, it is clear that the current AP biology and U.S. history classes need to be revised. Through addition by subtraction, the College Board can make AP biology, U.S. history and hopefully future classes more satisfying and educational.