In recent years, the number of underclassmen enrolled in certain advanced classes has increased, as seen in a spike in underclassmen enrollment in AP Biology and Honors Chinese from 2008 to 2014. Advanced placement (AP) and honors courses, usually taken by juniors and seniors because of the intense workload and time commitment, are now being tackled by underclassmen.
Various Aragon teachers have noticed the progression. “Numerically, more than two-thirds of [last year’s class] were sophomores,” Aragon AP Bio teacher Katie Ward says. “This is a trend that we have seen happening more frequently in probably the last three years.”
In 2008, 17 sophomores were enrolled in AP Biology, compared to 48 in 2013.
“In recent years, I see an increasing number of higher achieving freshmen,” concurs Qi Fan, Aragon Chinese teacher. “This year, there are twelve freshmen in Chinese 7-8.”
Some students choose to take these classes due to interest in the subject. “I’m taking AP Biology, Pre-calculus and Honors Spanish,” says sophomore Isabella Duan. “I enjoy Spanish; I was on an advanced track starting from middle school. I love Biology because it’s super interesting and I thought AP Bio would fit perfectly. It is nice being in a class that’s challenging.”
Taking a bulk of AP classes in ninth and tenth grade also means that students are able to maximize the number of advanced classes offered at Aragon.
“I take AP Biology because I like the subject [and also] to get the class over with to free up space for more advanced classes as an upperclassman,” says Aragon sophomore Stephanie Sum.
Parent input is another important factor in a student’s decision.
“I encouraged my two daughters to take advanced courses as a means to stimulate their critical thinking as well as helping them to get better prepared for college work,” says parent Darrick Lam. “I always remind my daughters that the course work will be more challenging. They develop a better time management plan to make sure everything gets done, [but] find time to relax after the work is done,” continues Lam.
However, Ward notes the relation between an increase of underclassmen in AP classes and an underlying belief that having more advanced classes translates to higher college admission.
“I think part of it is this push to take as many AP classes as you can before you get out of high school, and again, I don’t know that that even makes sense,” she says. “You know, why is it that you are pushing yourself to take these many advanced classes, particularly those you have no interest in? That motivation is really the wrong motivation, because it definitely does color your motivation, and it colors it very darkly.”
Aragon Vice Principal Jim Coe agrees, saying, “[Students should] know him or herself well enough to know how much academics to do, how much they want to do for other people, school community service, outside activities, sports, etc. It’s about the whole package rather than pushing yourself into too many AP courses; then you’re not a happy person at all.”
In addition, Fan believes that age differences are an important factor in readiness, especially in socialization portions of the class. “I don’t recommend all the freshmen to move to higher classes. Some freshmen hardly socialize with other students who are upperclassmen,” Fan says.
Ward has a different perspective. “There is some content preparedness that is necessary, but I think that the other thing that is necessary is a sense of academic maturity, a sense of academic identity, a set of time management skills, a set of study skills and a particular mindset, a growth mindset, and a mindset that is focused on learning,” she says. “You really do have to have a mature learning lens to take a college course because they are extremely rigorous.”
AP and honors classes give underclassmen an opportunity to pursue a field they may be interested in or to simply bolster their college applications and preparation. Whatever the reason, most agree that these classes are demanding and students must be hardworking in order to succeed.
Ward says, “Because all of those courses, all of the AP courses are rigorous college courses, and the expectations are going to be pretty hefty and so if you’re taking it only because it’s an AP course, you’re probably not willing to take some of the extra steps that are necessary, or the extra steps that the courses are asking you to take.”
