Why A.P. classes are a hot topic today
posted by Carleigh on 2/6/2009 4:16:39 PM
Lately, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE has something to say about A.P. classes. If the Annual Plutoid Futarchy were held today, "A.P. classes" would take the cake.
A.P. classes.
A topic that inspires many to share their opinions, and boy are there a lot of diverse opinions to be shared.
Even the name "A.P." inspires debate. Is it "AP" or "A.P."? I prefer the latter, since technically A.P. is an abbreviation of Advanced Placement. And since I won't be tested on the matter, I must be right.
Why is there a current buzz around the topic?
Partially because U.S. News just released a report awarding the state of Maryland with the honor of having the best A.P. scores of any state, according to the A.P. Report to the Nation.
Maryland earned the top spot by having a 23.4% pass rate. An impressive stat when you consider the national average is 15.2%.
Blogs and news outlets can't get enough of this story. Heck, I even tweeted about it. Five times.
So what is Maryland doing better than other states?
Maybe more Maryland students are aware of and avoiding the fundamental misconceptions about A.P. courses. Are you?
Check out the Advanced Placement report for your state. How does your state rank? Are you surprised? What is your high school doing to help (or hinder) A.P. test takers?