All About the AP

    As I near senior year and begin the college process, I am hearing more and more myths about how to get into a certain school or what classes "need" to be taken in order to have a chance at getting in somewhere. Although I probably participate in it at times, I find all this talk quite frustrating. I do not understand why people are advised to take a bunch of AP classes that they may not care for, when there are many other options that aren't AP that a person is probably much more interested in. Even more frustrating was an interview that I read recently in the New York Times with Jeff Rickey, the dean of admissions at St. Lawrence University.
      In the interview, Rickey was asked whether a student should take the most challenging  courses even if they are not at all interested in that particular subject. Rickey's answer to this questions was "Absolutely." Upon reading his answer, although I may have saw it coming, I was quite shocked. In my opinion, students should challenge themselves, but also be sure to take classes that truly interest them. Another question asked to Rickey was whether it is better for a student to receive an A in an honors class or B in an AP class. To this, Rickey stated that, "As we admissions officers say when we are asked this question, “An A in an Advanced Placement class!” Comments like these are the reason why so many students feel so much pressure to have to take AP classes. Not only that, but they have to get an A in the class, as well. What they don't understand, and what I learned this year in American Studies, is that it is not the grade that matters!!! If students are only focusing on that single letter, then in the end they will not end up taking anything away from the class. We need to veer away from this society where the only thing that students think is important is how many hard classes you are taking and what letter grades you have.  How, if in any way, will our society be able to divert from this way of thinking?