AP Exams: A Parent's View

At most high schools in the United States, the first two weeks in May are the dreaded AP testing weeks. That's when students take AP exams, hoping to get a high enough score to get college credit or at least demonstrate the ability to handle college-level coursework. just completed administering over 2000 AP exams. The past two years, I have volunteered as a Proctor for the AP exams, assisting school staff in administering the exams and ensuring that the specified test procedures are followed. This has allowed me to see some of the finest students anywhere in action. Most Arcadia High students who take AP exams take more than one AP exam. It's not unusual to see a student taking three or more AP exams over the two-week exam period.

When my family first moved to Arcadia, I did a bit of research on how well Arcadia High students did on AP exams. I found that for most AP classes, the overwhelming majority of Arcadia High students get a 4 or a 5 on the AP exam. Most other high schools seem to be happy if their AP students get a 3 on the exam.

Something I particularly noticed this year was that many of the students proudly wore T-shirts or jackets associated with another activity they were involved in at the high school. This included music, dance, athletic teams, academic teams, student organizations, etc. In other words, there was a lot more to these students than just academics. Almost all of these activities require significant time commitments after school and on weekends. Yet somehow, these students still found the time to take on these tough AP classes and succeed.

As a parent, it's easy to rag on our children about how much easier they have it than when I was growing up. I also wonder if our children will be up to the task of tackling the real world. But when I see hundreds of outstanding students as I did the past two weeks, taking on such difficult exams and succeeding, I have cause to be a little bit more optimistic about the next generation.