Benefits and Dangers of Advanced Placement Courses
Location
PARB 128 (First Floor)
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses that are taught in a high-school setting which have the potential to count for both high school and college credit. Although AP courses can serve as an advantage to some students by challenging them with appropriate rigor and financial advantages, for many students this level of coursework is inappropriate, and the benefits do not outweigh the costs.
AP classes are now viewed as an expectation for high school students and for some students this is an unrealistic expectation. As the AP program ages and more students take AP courses each year, increasing research is available on the benefits and dangers of these courses. This research considers both the academic and personal effects of high school students taking college courses. Both statistical research and personal reflection were considered in order to conclude that AP courses are not appropriate for all high school students even though they are becoming an expectation placed on students.
Keywords
Advanced Placement Courses, College Readiness, Student Stress, Advanced Placement for All, Student Research, Literature Review, Personal Reflection
Professional Bio
Erin Eley is a sophomore at the University of North Georgia pursuing an Associate Degree in Elementary Education. Upon completion of that degree in December, she will transfer to the University of Georgia in January. At the University of Georgia, she plans to study communication sciences and disorders to become a pediatric speech language pathologist. While in high school, she took 3 AP classes and earned over 20 hours of college credit through Dual Enrollment classes.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Eley, Erin A., "Benefits and Dangers of Advanced Placement Courses" (2022). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 24.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2022/2022/24
Benefits and Dangers of Advanced Placement Courses
PARB 128 (First Floor)
Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses that are taught in a high-school setting which have the potential to count for both high school and college credit. Although AP courses can serve as an advantage to some students by challenging them with appropriate rigor and financial advantages, for many students this level of coursework is inappropriate, and the benefits do not outweigh the costs.
AP classes are now viewed as an expectation for high school students and for some students this is an unrealistic expectation. As the AP program ages and more students take AP courses each year, increasing research is available on the benefits and dangers of these courses. This research considers both the academic and personal effects of high school students taking college courses. Both statistical research and personal reflection were considered in order to conclude that AP courses are not appropriate for all high school students even though they are becoming an expectation placed on students.
