LIKE MANY of you, I entered the University last year eager to jump into upper-level classes and strut my stuff. As valedictorian of my high school class, I was used to being number one. Soon after the fall 2002 semester began, I realized that something was different. I definitely wasn't the smartest anymore, or even the hardestworking. My ego took a nice (but necessary) blast. After a lot of worrying and reflection, I realized that I would survive my first semester. After all, I had taken college classes before, right?
Wrong. When I enrolled at the University, all 37 of my Advanced Placement credits were accepted without question. That's over one year of college credit, granted to a student who had never even set foot in a college classroom. In retrospect, this seems a bit ridiculous, although I didn't think so at the time. In fact, I was quite pleased and even impressed with myself.
The University's acceptance of all of my AP credits was actually a primary factor in my decision to enroll here. None of the other colleges I applied to would accept more than two tests for credit, and even then the tests could not be applied toward major requirements or prerequisites.
I enrolled in BIOL 300 last semester, not having taken a biology class since 10th grade. I was cautioned by my advisor that it was one of the most competitive biology classes offered at the University. But, because my transcript indicated that I had received credit for BIOL 201-202, the prerequisite for the course, I was certain that I would be prepared. Assuming that the University would not award undeserved credit, I decided not to retake the prerequisites. After enrolling in BIOL 300, I realized that I did not have a strong enough foundation in the prerequisite principles. After working with my professors outside of class, I decided that my best option would be to withdraw from the course.
My advisor and professors were able to give me some insight into the problem, though. The majority of the students that they saw struggling in the upper-level biology classes were students that had not taken the prerequisites at the University. This call has been echoed by many other departments. Because curricula vary by institution, the classes offered by a university often have a specific focus. An institution's prerequisites prepare students for its own upper-level courses, which AP classes cannot do. AP classes are fairly broad and are not necessarily geared towards providing a basis for further study. Transfer students often face similar challenges when they have taken prerequisite courses at other institutions.
After speaking with other students, I realized that many had similar experiences with the AP program. We are all, to an extent, naturally bright students who have by now mastered the art of test-taking. AP exams are not a fair measure of knowledge. This isn't to say that my entire AP experience was negative. Some of my classes were amazing, and in particular, I can think of a few that rival my classes here.
The problem is that it is impossible to regulate the quality of AP classes across the board. The regional admissions directors cannot claim to know everything about every high school's academic program, and the administration acknowledges this. The difficulty is making sure that all students have an equal grasp of the fundamentals before entering upper-level classes. This should be a priority.
The University needs to take a more skeptical approach to accepting AP scores, taking into account that most students' experiences are not up to par with University courses. More counseling and evaluation need to be concentrated at the individual level. The University currently does not have plans to reevaluate its procedures for accepting AP credit. At this time, administration is reevaluating the advising system for students who have yet to declare a major in order to ensure that more care is taken in dealing with individual issues.
These efforts are not sufficient. Proponents of the University spend extensive amounts of time contending that it is at the same level of its Ivy League peers. This is one area where other institutions definitely have the and edge on us. There is merit in requiring students to take classes at their own institution, rather than allowing them to enter with one-quarter of their credits completed. This does not serve the interests of the students nor those of the institution. Accepting fewer AP credits does not bar the University from considering AP classes and test scores as part of the admissions process, as they are a fair measure of a student's success and achievement prior to entering college.
The University should take the approach of its Ivy League counterparts, accepting a maximum of six AP credits that may not be applied towards a major. This is the only way to ensure that the basics are taught appropriately, and to prepare students for upper-level courses specific to this institution. If anything, this will only make the University more reputable in the academic community.
Todd Rosenbaum's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at trosenbaum@cavalierdaily.com.
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