As students begin to think ahead to their next high school year, the question of which classes to take becomes so important: General, College-Prep, Advanced Placement (A.P.), or College-Credit Plus (formally known as Post-Secondary)? (I should stress that I am deliberately avoiding the Career Center option for this blog; that topic will be discussed in a later writing.) Each choice should represent a well thought-out process that clearly serves as preparation for the students' futures. Given my experience from having taught English in all the above mentioned classes at both the high school and the college levels, I am offering my view to perhaps assist students and parents in making their decisions.
Addressing the "General" track (defined as those classes that are considered to be the most general and least challenging in respective academic departments), I am comfortable saying that choice is fine for allowing students to get through high school without major academic challenges. As for strong preparation for a four-year college, though, this track will most likely provide the least opportunity to succeed when college begins. The reason is quite simple: these "regular" classes provide instruction in basic concepts without going into great detail and expectations. Yes, the students can still be accepted into college--that really is not that difficult. However, the question of will the students remain in college for the entire four years so frequently is determined by their preparation in high school. When the college demands begin and the writing expectations become increasingly demanding, the challenge often becomes overwhelming. I am not saying students will be unsuccessful in college if they follow a "regular" high school track; what I am saying is that the road gets tougher for those who have chosen to avoid the harder high school classes. From my seat, if a student is planning to attend a four-year college, he or she should get out of the "General" track and into a College-Prep track!
Regarding the "College-Prep" track (defined just as the label implies), I am confident that a significant challenge awaits. While the classes may be intimidating to many, the key is to think long term. What matters is not what grade is earned in high school but what students truly learn to benefit their futures. If planning on attending those four-year schools mentioned previously, students need to accept this challenge and get themselves prepared!
The real dilemma that is popular today is the A.P. (defined as an advanced study of a particular discipline, designed to equate with a college-level curriculum) vs. College Credit Plus (defined as being a college student while still in high school) debate--a tough question, but, truthfully, one that each individual must determine if that is what he or she wants. Understanding the College Credit Plus program is relatively simple: Students receive college credit by either taking a class at a local university, or they receive dual credit in their high school if the instructor of certain courses has met standards set by the Ohio Department of Education. From my seat, here is how I view the dilemma.
The College Credit Plus option certainly has merit--particularly if the students are being taught a rigorous curriculum. In truth, though, the guiding philosophy reflects our society's values: let's get more as soon as we can. Whether the student is prepared--academically and socially--does not always enter the picture. While teaching in high school, I taught a few high school students who attended KSU Tusc. and were solidly prepared . . . but they were the exception. Most of the kids who considered the retired Post-Secondary program really were not anywhere near ready. They might have liked the challenge, they might have liked the freedom from high school rules, they might have liked having Fridays off, or they might just have liked that somebody else was paying for their education. Again, I stress that not all students have the same reason for attending: It is an individual decision.
Academically, most all high school juniors need more preparation for college work; many kids attend a college campus and take 10000 or 20000 level course work--practically all these college courses are beneath the level of an A.P. curriculum. Yes, of course, the classes' rigor does depend on the quality of the teachers--make no mistake about that. However, the A.P. curriculum is a year-long controlled environment that has been set up through years of preparation; most college-level introductory classes are a semester in length (most meeting no more than three days per week) with a wide variety of students, many of whom are ill-prepared. In most A.P. curriculums, students have weeded themselves out, and the environment consists mostly of high achieving kids. Translated, college instructors can set high expectations if they desire, but most beginning college classes are controlled by the middle, meaning that if many students are struggling the pace of the class is slowed considerably. Please keep this point in mind: college professors know that they cannot give too many low or failing grades--it reflects negatively on their teaching, which may ultimately affect their employment. As a result, many 10000 and 20000 classes are not necessarily "advanced," and the grading is adjusted accordingly.
College professors will attest that--in so many cases--they cannot believe how poorly prepared their students are; however, many of those same students will end up with high grades in an introductory college classroom--hard to believe, isn't it? College, in many ways, is a money game; of course, college enrollment, with a few exceptions, is still borderline high. The reasons, perhaps, could be because the economy is still tough and people are returning to school to learn a new skill or to begin a different career; it could also be, though, that more and more high school kids are enrolling--the more students enrolled, the better we (college) look. If we (college) make it attractive, we (college) look good. With experience as my teacher, I am becoming more convinced that when students leave high school early to attend college, it is more about getting bodies in the seats rather than kids being ready for that academic challenge.
I certainly respect the College Credit Plus philosophy--particularly the dual enrollment aspect--because for a select number of kids it is a viable option. For them, I say go for it. However, I remain unconvinced that a college freshman class offers a stronger curriculum than what a high school A.P. program does. Another anecdote that might be of interest is that while I was teaching high school, I yearly tracked high school students' ACT scores; interestingly, the Post-Secondary students scored consistently lower than the A.P. kids.
My final point regarding the push for high school kids to receive college credit is this: In the long run, what does it accomplish? Getting into the workforce sooner? What is so great about that? Kids are kids only one time--they have the rest of their lives to be adults. I do not see the rush of getting there sooner than their peers. Like Donald Trump, whose corporations have declared bankruptcy four times, brags, he plays within the rules our country has established; from my seat, I see many students begin college early so someone else can pay the bill or they can avoid the harder high school classes and teachers. They are playing within the rules our state has established--I get it.
However, is that option advancing our society, or is it just another means to politically sidestep challenging standards? From my seat, the second option is clearly the motivation!
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