AP Exams and the problem with College Board
AP exams are coming up, and this year they will be normal length. This can be very scary because of the amount of studying required to prepare for the exams. Last year was wonderful because the exams were online and 45 minutes long, plus I had 1.5 hours because they doubled my extended time. This year the College Board is returning to the old format, which is fair but more difficult. With approximately one month until exams, now is “grid-time” (or at least I hope it will be :))
Having spent time studying recently, I’ve come to believe that the College Board does not do a good job of inspiring students to learn and develop their interests through their AP curriculum and exams. Of course, it is a good idea to take AP exams in high school because they
count for college credit. Students spend countless hours studying for exams by doing practice tests, although the long term benefits of performing well on the exams can seem pointless. Passing an AP class can count for college credit, but I think that too often students prepare to do well on the exam rather than focusing on learning the material and concepts, a more important aspect of school.
For example, the AP Calculus exam involves complex math problems in both multiple choice and free response format. To get a 5 on the exam, you need to have a good understanding of the material. Unfortunately, I believe that getting a 5 on the exam does not necessarily mean you have mastered the concepts because the College Board tests students' abilities to solve math problems through memorizing formulas and applying rote methods to solve problems. In the future I doubt I will be able to find the integral and derivative using all of the rules I have learned. I don’t mind this because that is not the important part of calculus. The important part of calculus (in my opinion) is developing an understanding of the concepts and being able to apply them to the real world. I think it is safe to say that there are very few individuals who spend their careers solving integrals and derivatives (some math stuff…) by hand. I think it is time for a change in the way students learn math because nowadays a computer can do all of the calculations that complicate mathematics. It is time for math students to spend time understanding math concepts rather than applying arbitrary rules to irrelevant math problems. The College Board does not help the situation by pushing AP Calculus students to spend time practicing free response questions rather than understanding the beauty of math. In our day to day lives, there is hardly ever a need to recall the formula for the area of a trapezoid or the steps of the quadratic formula. However, almost all fields involve some sort of mathematical thinking, including the arts and music. Therefore, math classes need to make math enjoyable and relevant rather than boring and complex.
What do you think about AP and the College Board? What do you think about the current state of math education? What solutions do you have to the problems with the College Board (if you think there are any)?
Hi Yair. I can't really speak on your specific situation because personally I don't take an AP math class and I don't really enjoy the beauty of math. I can't stand math and I never really plan on using anything I learned in high school in math in my adult life. But in general, college board sucks. They make it pretty obvious that they don't care about students learning because almost all of the information on AP exams, SAT, and ACT will be so unimportant when we're adults. I think they're just a classist, money-hungry scam and are trying to pass it off as the most important thing for high school students trying to get into college. I don't know if there are any solutions to their issue, but in my eyes, I think the perfect overall solution is college board is abolished and AP exams, SAT, and ACT merely cease to exist :)
ReplyDeleteHey Yair. You brought up some great points that I know we collectively have felt as students. I feel like the unprecedented learning circumstance of this year especially gave an opportunity to emphasize relevant studies. Math sucks, it always has and always will. Good luck on your exams!
ReplyDeleteHey Yair, I absolutely hate college board. I think that they're inconsiderate and that the entire company is absolutely idiotic. I believe that AP testing is an irrelevant strategy to determine someone's knowledge and mental ability. People having testing anxiety, get nervous during the test, and just do bad on it. Also, not everyone can afford tutoring or a computer/books to study!! I agree with Ellie that standardized testing shouldn't exist. Anyways, good luck on your exams!
ReplyDeleteHey Yair, I absolutely hate college board. I think that they're inconsiderate and that the entire company is absolutely idiotic. I believe that AP testing is an irrelevant strategy to determine someone's knowledge and mental ability. People having testing anxiety, get nervous during the test, and just do bad on it. Also, not everyone can afford tutoring or a computer/books to study!! I agree with Ellie that standardized testing shouldn't exist. Anyways, good luck on your exams!
ReplyDeleteHey Yair, I absolutely hate college board. I think that they're inconsiderate and that the entire company is absolutely idiotic. I believe that AP testing is an irrelevant strategy to determine someone's knowledge and mental ability. People having testing anxiety, get nervous during the test, and just do bad on it. Also, not everyone can afford tutoring or a computer/books to study!! I agree with Ellie that standardized testing shouldn't exist. Anyways, good luck on your exams!
ReplyDelete