The decision to take AP and IB classes weighs on students starting even from the eighth grade or earlier. Our competitive, “rat race” society has gotten to such an extreme point that students (and parents) are planning their ‘ticket’ into college by way of the classes they take throughout their high school career. And administrations are not shying away from the benefits: the more high caliber classes they offer and the more students that are admitted to the Ivy League schools, the better reputation the high school achieves. Dropping, or completely erasing, AP and IB classes from schools has its advantages and its disadvantages, but I am of the opinion that it should be done.
Having AP and IB, by looking at their history, on your schedule gives some kind of magic signal to university admissions officers that you are a student who challenges himself/herself and is ready for college. Top-notch universities repeat the phrase that they want to see students who have taken the hardest schedule of classes available at the school you go to. The result is that students load their schedules with hard classes and are overwhelmed with work. All-nighters become habitual and stress becomes a companion. The implications of these classes apply great emotional pressure on all of the students, across the nation.
At the same time, if schedules filled with AP and IB classes are what universities are looking for, is it fair for some high schools to take them away from students? This would put the students, who cannot take high level classes, at a disadvantage compared to those that can. Consequently, the students run the risk of not being admitted to the college or university of their choice because their school could not offer them what they needed. Taking away these classes also means that the high school’s reputation would go down the drain because it cannot be at the same status as the other schools who do have AP and IB classes in their curriculum. Additionally, parents who are feeding into the overachiever culture would protest to the school, affecting its reputation. In all, erasing the AP and IB would influence the students, the parents, and the school negatively.
Then again, it is not fair that students must be in a class that works towards a test. This takes away from the learning that could be happening if there was no looming exam at the end of the course, namely the AP or the IB exams. It would also change the dynamic of the class because it would eliminate any students who are just taking the class to score well on the exam, giving the room a better vibe since it is filled with interested students. In addition, the teachers would be less constricted to teaching specifically to the test. The curriculum would be more relaxed and flexible, and there would be no panicky rushing at the end if something has not been taught. Instead of taking a class to learn for the test, the students would see the true purpose of school, namely to learn for learning’s sake. This is extremely important.
In the end, although I think a high school without AP or IB classes would be much better for the whole community of students and parents, it is unlikely to happen. The standards that admissions officers hold for students at their institutions would have to change before anything could happen in the high schools. And before even that, the society’s mindset about competition and education would have to change as well. As much as I would like to see it transform, I am afraid it would take a lot of work, and I do not know if we are ready for that.  But imagine….