AP classes are meant to enrich your learning, but excessive amounts can be harmful. We should limit the number of advanced placement courses a high schooler can take per year. It will reduce students’ stress and allow them to focus on excelling in a few demanding classes.

CHS should have an AP cap. Students that benefit from the cap will have the mental peace that they have done all that they can with their schedule.

This will reduce stress and it will help them focus on other aspects of life such as forming relationships, sports, relaxing and clubs.

Colleges will acknowledge that those students did all they could with their schedule. According to college counselor Carolyn Blair, “It would not affect our admission. We would just tell the colleges here’s what we’re doing and they would respect that and our kids would not be penalized for that.”

One of the reasons many gifted students pile on AP classes and endure a rigorous schedule is so they can prove that they are the best choice for selective colleges.

Other top private schools such as John Burroughs School have an AP cap of three honors.

Although most students think taking AP classes may reduce the number of classes they have to take in college, very few people who take AP classes graduate before four years.

Students also take AP classes so they stand out to colleges. Even if students take an impressive number of advanced placement classes, the lack of other achievements can cause colleges to lose interest.

If we limit the number of advanced placement classes students can take, high schoolers can focus more on service hours, sports, passions, clubs and hobbies.

Some students take many advanced classes to prepare themselves for college and the workload there; however, college students usually only take around four classes per semester.

So taking five to six AP classes a year creates an unrealistic workload for students.

John Tierney, a high school and college professor states, “the high-school AP course didn’t begin to hold a candle to any of my college courses.”

Even if you take an AP class, you may have to take that class again in college.

All of this could be avoided if there was a nationwide cap, but since we cannot control the entire country, we should address an AP cap within CHS.

We should implement a cap of one to four AP classes at Clayton High School per year.

Some students are taking five AP classes this year alone.

One example is senior Areeba Khan, who is taking five AP classes this year, and took four last year. This cap will allow students to push themselves without causing damage to themselves.

Some students are thriving with loads of AP classes. Some aren’t. Every student is different, so having an AP cap that tolerates the needs of most people is important.

An AP cap lets students follow their passions instead of focusing on getting into the best college all the time. Some students drop classes they like in order to take AP classes, even though there is no guarantee that that class will help them get into the college of their choice or even if the college that they decide to go to accepts AP credit.

Introducing an AP cap will help students manage their stress and focus on other aspects of their life, but as college counselor Carolyn Blair pointed out,“It’s going to take a big shift to make any changes. And it is really going to take really kids and parents saying that this is not okay.”

So, if this is your opinion on AP caps, speak up so we can start to make a change.