The AP limit has long been integrated within our school’s policies regarding course selection. Although first implemented in order to combat stress and mental health issues in our school, it may have the opposite effect. In a world where college applications are increasingly competitive each year, having a hard limit on the amount of AP courses we can take will not only restrict our academic freedom, but also handicap us, compared to students from other schools within the Bay Area.
First and foremost, with a restriction of three AP classes per year, it is likely that some students will not be able to select all the classes they are interested in, effectively shortchanging their academic experience. Being able to explore many different possible subjects can also help a student discover their talents and interests. With our school’s vast selection of AP courses to choose from, the AP limit serves as a roadblock to the classes a student is truly interested in. Not to mention, the selection of AP courses is only increasing every year, such as the recently announced AP-Precalculus that is to be implemented. With more and more courses to choose from, having a three AP course only limits our education.
Furthermore, while a student’s GPA is generally recalculated by colleges, students from schools where AP courses are unrestricted will have resumes that look undoubtedly better, especially if the student is able to excel in all of their AP classes. According to UC Berkeley Admissions, the average GPA of students admitted to the school is 4.15 to 4.30. In order to achieve such a GPA, it’s likely that a student has to load up on more AP classes in order to bring their GPA up. There are also some students who self-study for AP tests in order to earn credit for classes they have not taken due to the AP Limit, which is an issue that could be solved if they could take the classes. When students are forced to strive for perfection in order to have any chance of competing with their peers, setting a hard limit on AP classes is not the best solution.
A further benefit to AP classes that normal classes cannot provide is that they can count as college credit. This allows students to be exempt from taking certain required courses in college, which can not only save time, but also money. According to the University of California Admissions Office, average annual costs for the UCs is $40,000, which over the course of four years will add up to over $160,000. Thus, being able to graduate early, or even just simply having less classes to take, can significantly decrease the price of attending these schools, causing less burden on the student and their families.
Although it is true that an excessive amount of AP classes can negatively impact a student’s health, it’s possible to prevent this from happening with proper communication between counselors and students. Even without an AP limit, it is still possible for students to consider their personal limits in order to not overwork themselves. We can also rely on systems such as our school’s counselors or other mental health programs supported by the school. Additionally, there are some students who are able to handle over three AP classes each year, and for those students, an AP limit would only slow their education. With the right system in place, an AP limit is an unnecessary tool to support students’ mental health.
Ultimately, while the AP limit was created with an intention to protect students’ well-being, I believe it is still possible to protect students while removing the cap on the amount of AP courses a student can take.