IUPUI’S SPAN PROGRAM –FROM A PARENT’S
PERSPECTIVE
Can’t I just let him/her take AP classes
in high school?
Well, you could. But not all AP classes are alike. A high school
teacher who may or may not be able to cover all the material in the
required amount of time usually teaches them. College credit is
awarded to those who earn at least a 3 or 4 out of 5 points on a type
of “final exam.” The classes and even the test itself have a fee
attached. It is possible to earn an A in the course work and still not
earn the necessary points for college credit on the “final.”
And once they get to college, they will be tested again to see how
advanced their knowledge is. College faculty complain that because
AP classes use high school teachers, the classes may not be
equivalent to the material they would have studied in a college
course. For example, they may not have covered the last couple
chapters of the text. The consequences of this may result in the
student having a poor foundation and being unprepared for the
next higher course.
Another complication is that with the current shortage of funding as
the state level, AP courses are being reduced or eliminated from
many high schools. This is at a time when requirements for an
Academic Honors diploma for the class entering high school in 2006-
07 are being elevated. To meet this goal, some schools are
encouraging taking college classes, for example at Ivy Tech State
College. But be careful. Not all colleges are alike. Watch out for
“dumbed down” college experiences that may not transfer to all
colleges and universities. Other leaders in academia, however, hold
IUPUI classes, in much higher esteem.
PERSPECTIVE
Can’t I just let him/her take AP classes
in high school?
Well, you could. But not all AP classes are alike. A high school
teacher who may or may not be able to cover all the material in the
required amount of time usually teaches them. College credit is
awarded to those who earn at least a 3 or 4 out of 5 points on a type
of “final exam.” The classes and even the test itself have a fee
attached. It is possible to earn an A in the course work and still not
earn the necessary points for college credit on the “final.”
And once they get to college, they will be tested again to see how
advanced their knowledge is. College faculty complain that because
AP classes use high school teachers, the classes may not be
equivalent to the material they would have studied in a college
course. For example, they may not have covered the last couple
chapters of the text. The consequences of this may result in the
student having a poor foundation and being unprepared for the
next higher course.
Another complication is that with the current shortage of funding as
the state level, AP courses are being reduced or eliminated from
many high schools. This is at a time when requirements for an
Academic Honors diploma for the class entering high school in 2006-
07 are being elevated. To meet this goal, some schools are
encouraging taking college classes, for example at Ivy Tech State
College. But be careful. Not all colleges are alike. Watch out for
“dumbed down” college experiences that may not transfer to all
colleges and universities. Other leaders in academia, however, hold
IUPUI classes, in much higher esteem.
About IUPUI SPAN
Program- But what
about AP classes?
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