http://excellencewithoutap.org
It's actually changed quite a bit - the old version just had a list of =20=
really good schools that got rid of the AP - now it's gotten a bit =20
fancier and it's harder to find the arguments against the AP.
But the site does have a lot of information for schools wishing to =20
"reclaim" their independence, and it also has the following quote =20
(from very high up the food chain):
"We look at whether the applicant has taken the high school=92s most =20
demanding courses. But whether the classes are designated as A.P. or =20
not is irrelevant. Abolishing A.P. classes won=92t hurt the kids."
Marlyn McGrath Lewis
Director of Admissions
Harvard University
Our own research at the Laboratory Schools revealed similar thoughts =20
from all but one admissions office at roughly 100 colleges to which =20
our students most frequently matriculate....we still have APs.
It's too late for me to offer my own rant on this right now. It would =20=
be long and circular anyway. Just wanted to throw this info onto the =20=
heap.
-Baker
On Apr 29, 2009, at 9:14 PM, Ann Hamel wrote:
> I wonder if this discussion needs to take place higher up the food =20
> chain
> - colleges and universities - that drive the secondary schools to near
> madness with all the afore mentioned work and also with the whole high
> school curriculum being replaced with AP courses that TEACH TO THE =20
> TEST.
> As long as higher education gives the impression this is needed to =20
> enter
> their hallowed halls, secondary schools will be slaves to this
> craziness. My idealistic self would like to think that we could stand
> up and just say no. Then, of course, this discussion moves to the
> parents who are also mesmerized by the power of higher education. =20
> As a
> group, could we make a case (research-loaded, well-written, =20
> persuasive,
> etc.) against teaching "AP" classes and instead teaching the knowledge
> that we feel our students need, much of which might be identified and
> quantified by an AP exam, but could perhaps be more eloquently learned
> by our students in a way that enters into their lifelong knowledge, =20=
> not
> just what is need to know for the month of May?
>
> My $0.02 (just me, not speaking for my colleagues here at FVS).
> -Ann
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A forum for independent school educators
> [mailto:ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Ross Lenet
> Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 5:49 PM
> To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: The College Board's place in education
>
> David, an AP Coordinator is essentially a logistical person. Somebody
> has
> to do the job, but I'm up for a good discussion about the College =20
> Board
> if
> everyone else is. In fact, in all my years on this list I don't =20
> remember
> a
> spirited discussion about the College Board.
>
> I'll get it going with my own rant. I wonder if everyone realizes the
> amount of (essentially) free labor the College Board extracts from
> schools. I think we'd be absolutely stunned at the megabucks that =20
> would
> be
> involved if schools could charge market rates for the labor needed to
> carry out the College Board's programs. I bet the dollars involved =20
> would
>
> be sufficient to keep General Motors afloat for a few years, and you =20=
> can
>
> throw in Chrysler, too.
>
> Ross Lenet
> Sidwell Friends School
>
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