AP classes: Advancement or added stress? AP classes: Advancement or added stress? (February 09, 2005)

Students add on college-level courses, but some universities say its too much

by Alexandria Rocha

Ah, the much-discussed advanced placement courses.

Better known as AP, Gunn and Palo Alto high schools offer a plethora of these highly sought after classes. From art history to music theory to calculus to French, students here have the opportunity to earn college credit by enrolling in these difficult classes and taking the official exam at the end.

In the 2003-'04 school year, about 867 students from Gunn and Paly combined took 1,859 AP tests. Those figures have remained steady for the past few years. While giving students an excellent head start on their collegiate studies, AP courses are also at the center of a community-wide discussion regarding student stress. Students here often convince themselves a schedule loaded with AP classes and successful AP exams is needed to enter the arena of prestigious colleges. However, education officials are trying to deflate that myth.

For example, the University of California will only grant credit for four AP classes, regardless of how many the student actually completed. While Stanford University does not have a cap for AP classes, officials are trying to spread the word that a hefty AP course load is not what the university is looking for.

"Such a course load is not required, nor is it healthy," wrote Robin Mamlet, dean of admission and financial aid at Stanford, in a recent letter to the Weekly.

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