Giving credit where it's due

With the implementation of a new curriculum for the Class of 2010, Advanced Placement exams will mean even less for future Penn students.

Even for those students who earn a 5, AP scores will no longer fulfill College of Arts and Sciences requirements as part of these new curriculum changes. This harms students because AP tests are marketed as a way to save money by earning college credit, but students who scored well on AP tests will now have to take additional classes to graduate.

Beyond the significant amount of money students will have to spend to earn the additional credits for graduation, the new policy is also frought with hypocrisy.

By not counting AP scores toward the General Requirement, the University is furthering its unwarranted belief that AP courses are not as good as college courses. And while it may be true that the classes do vary from one high school to another, if students demonstrate their learning with top-notch AP scores, the University should acknowledge their achievements with class credit.

And in fact, the hypocrisy lies in the fact that Penn does so already.

A 5 on both of the AP economics exams allows students to skip microeconomics and macroeconomics. A 5 on the AP Psychology exam allows psychology majors to skip straight to 100-level courses.

The University is acknowledging that some students have learned enough to skip certain introductory classes, but Penn is now saying these acheivements aren't enough to grant students credit toward graduation.

Why is a 5 on an AP test enough to skip microeconomics and macroeconomics, but not enough to earn college credit for doing so?

The University is doing the right thing in allowing students to get out of prerequisites, but not counting those same APs toward graduation requirements is a detriment to Penn students.

In addition, Penn's Office of Undergraduate Admissions still takes AP scores into account in the admissions process. While the tests are another way to measure a student's learning and intelligence, it's misleading to examine AP scores in the admissions process and then not grant credit for those scores.

And at $82 a piece and climbing, AP tests are an expensive measurement.

For $26 to $37, SAT II exams can provide much cheaper evaluations of student learning. If Penn insists on asking for additional subject tests beyond the required SAT II exams, the 18 other SAT II tests should do the job -- especially when students are being led to believe AP tests will earn them credit.

This double standard must be put to an end. Students deserve to be rewarded for their high scores and hard work, not stuck with two bills.

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