It's Important to Offer Classes at Varied Course Levels

Gifted programs in New York, honors classes in California, and AP classes in Florida. Across the country, advanced courses are being taken away from students, placing everyone into the same classes. While it is motivated by positive ideas of equity and unity, the elimination of course-level variation is causing students to miss out.

College admissions are more competitive than ever. The ideal candidate of the past has now become the average of the present, with colleges looking for a commitment to numerous extracurriculars, strong character, and college preparedness. When kids don’t have access to advanced classes, they are put at a disadvantage to other candidates. College-bound students across the country put their best foot forward to display their skills and academic excellence, but when all students are forced to take the same classes, there’s less room to distinguish themselves from others. 

Colleges also take course difficulty into consideration when calculating student GPAs, which are used to compare students. When it comes down to two very similar candidates, as it often does nowadays, colleges are more likely to choose someone who has already proven their proficiency in college-level or otherwise advanced courses than a student who could have if their school offered it.

Not only is it important for college selection, but also for college preparedness. College is no doubt challenging, but students who are able to challenge themselves early on build resilience, learning strategies, and confidence that can’t be gained anywhere else. Having some students extra prepared is better than having no students prepared at all.

Advanced classes provide the level of education that advanced students need. Gifted students have a tendency to get bored with general education classes, which don’t provide enough of a challenge to engage them. It is essential to have classes specialized for the individual. To ensure the needs of these exceptional students are met, course materials with varying degrees of difficulty should be offered to match their skill level. Just as one would provide a struggling student with additional help and resources, gifted students need to be provided with a curriculum that not only meets the same standards as everyone else but also enriched materials that foster a love of learning.

It is often said that the purpose of school is not to learn everything, but to learn how to learn. When the curriculum is too easy, students never have a reason to study. This means that advanced students put into average-level classes never get the studying skills or work ethic that they will need, as the courses they take in college get more challenging and they eventually enter the workforce.

When we look at the amount of education that is received overall, it is better to max out the level of education that all students receive. Having advanced classes means that those students up for the challenge are enabled to flourish. 

Taking these difficult classes can also help build connections. Often, advanced students may feel isolated, in a world of negative stereotypes. Popular media especially has perpetuated the idea that being book smart isn’t cool, with prevalent taunts like nerd, geek, and dork. Higher-level classes mean that students are able to build a sense of community and connect with those who are similar to them and have similar experiences. 

This also means that everyone is struggling together. Although it seems counterintuitive for everyone to struggle, it is adversity that builds strong character and perseverance. One of the most memorable things from AP Bio freshman year was bonding through shared trauma. While the experience was a challenge that not everyone was prepared for, we nonetheless enjoyed a sense of community and the positive memories that came out of it.

One of the main reasons why schools are proposing the collapse of course stratification is for equity. This is because these classes traditionally see lower enrollment rates by underprivileged students. This often ignores that taking these classes away would hurt all the kids in the school. When students on the upper extreme of GPAs and test scores are moved down a level, the school average would also suffer. By decreasing these metrics, the school would receive significantly less government funding, which goes to making the school a positive learning environment for everyone. 

Similarly, this would lower the national ranking of the school, meaning that the school’s diplomas would have less competitive value. This goes back to college admissions, as the same grades from a better-ranked school would have higher worth. The problem is inequitable enrollment, not class stratification.

By passing AP tests, students can also earn college credit, reducing the costs later on. One of the biggest barriers to getting people into college is the cost, so allowing students to earn this college credit early could help them save thousands of dollars. Additionally, while AP tests can be a bit expensive, there are free and reduced prices for those who need them.  

Numerous programs are being put into place to get more students into AP programs as well. Since 2009, the percentage of Black and Hispanic students enrolled in AP classes has doubled, with initiatives like the All In Program that reach out to low-income and minority students who do well on the PSAT and encourage them to take the classes. 

Other times, proponents of limited course variation say that separating the levels could make those not in accelerated classes feel inferior. This comes from the flawed logic of believing that grades define your identity and intelligence. While this misconception does cause a lot of harm, it is an issue separate from course levels. By building up student confidence and praising a variety of abilities outside of an academic setting, everyone can think positively of themselves and get their time in the spotlight. If anything, putting accelerated learners into normal classes would make those students feel worse, constantly being outdone by high achievers and curves being set higher.

Just like schools wouldn’t get rid of sports programs that allow athletes to display their skills, or art programs that allow artistic students to display theirs, they shouldn’t get rid of advanced education programs that allow academic students to show off their skills. These classes are life-changing, and getting rid of them would only cause significant harm to students.