Since when did AP and honors become the norm?

With academic competition increasing, the standard for what’s ‘normal’ is higher than ever. Obviously we have moved away from living based on survival of the fittest but society has replaced that idea with other ways of living. I believe that at school, we live by survival of the best college application. Ambitious students are constantly trying to outdo the other in order to stand out for colleges and universities. We have reached a point where the default class is no longer the regular class but an AP or honors class. While I do appreciate the desire to seek higher knowledge and people challenging themselves, it can come with a tricky cost. 

I feel it’s socially difficult to express when a class is too hard for you because it’s below the ‘standard.’ Now that the standard for classes is raised, there is some shame in not taking a rigorous class. A classmate I knew met with their teacher and counselor because they were really struggling in an honors course. The counselor thought the best idea was to move down to the college prep course but I noticed that the classmate seemed really hesitant. The counselor immediately started offering to make the schedule change discreetly so that “friends wouldn’t have to know.” The classmate continued to stay in the honors class.

As a student who is taking several AP and honors courses, I can definitely relate. I too want to stand out in college applications. I too think that taking AP and honors is the norm. I too sometimes feel ashamed that I am not academically rigorous enough and that I should be doing more extracurriculars and taking more AP’s. Sometimes I think of successful people and feel guilty, maybe even a little envious, for not living up to a legacy as great as theirs. For example, Mozart was a child prodigy at music. Thomas Jefferson was a diplomat that could speak several languages. 

Regardless of ability, there shouldn’t be any shame in wanting to learn no matter how you learn. Everyone has their own journey and resources and it won’t always be the same. Everyone learns at a different pace and if a regular course is a better fit than an AP or honors course, I don’t think anyone should feel embarrassed or ‘dumb.’ Unfortunately, I feel that is the case. 

Lea McCleery ‘27 said, “I think [the standard] is higher. Teachers expect more from you.”

Aside from the social expectation to take on academic rigor, there is the academic pressure. Like I mentioned before, the increased desire to go to college is awesome but also leads to a lot of competition and since taking AP and honors classes is likely to be more appealing to colleges, the motivation for learning becomes skewed. 

Rather than taking more difficult courses for the love of knowledge, some students are just taking these courses to look good on their resume. Usually I don’t mind this but when people take challenging courses and put in zero effort, I get a little concerned. Not only is this bad work ethic but it also pulls down the rest of the people who do want to put in effort. It messes with the learning curve and group projects. 

Ella Hughes ‘27 said, “I think [college] is a really big influence on so many people on campus. There’s two groups. One where colleges are a really big influence and they stick to all AP’s and honors even if sometimes those classes aren’t the best fit for the. They just want it for college [applications] and then there’s kids that take zero AP’s and honors.”

I think this phenomenon has also caused a social divide among students both in and out of VHS.

A student whose schedule mainly consists of AP and honors classes will most likely interact with those who also take AP and honors classes. This is because it is easier  for students to interact with other students in class when they have shared classes, especially when they have multiple shared classes. The social circles of students who take regular courses and students who take AP and honors courses are drastically different. Oftentimes I don’t recognize students I pass by in the halls unless they take AP or honors classes.

Hughes said, “So we have two different groups of kids on campus and they don’t mingle. They don’t even know each other most of the time. There’s people walking around that I know are in my grade but I’ve never seen them a day before in my life because I’m part of the AP and honors group and they’re not. So it divides us.”

Sienna Watson ‘27 said, “I definitely think you attract people that you have the same class [with] especially because you meet people in class.”

Heightening standards have caused social pressure and divide as well as skewed motivation for learning. There’s no denying that this is an issue. Now I am left with one question: is the bar too high?