As colleges become more competitive, the pressure to take
challenge classes is increasing. However, with more students
comes more distractions, which can take away from
other’s learning.
“Some people definitely distract from the upper-level learning
environment,” sophomore Divya Minnaganti said. “It makes it
harder to learn.”
More restrictions to get into those classes as a way to
minimize distractions and maximize the learning environment
and experience for other students. An entrance exam would be
impractical, but if counselors looked at the grade, overall GPA,
and citizenship grades of students who want to level up, then
it would make the learning experience of other students more
meaningful and enjoyable.
“It’s an honors class for a reason,” sophomore Sophie Zucker
said. “Some people who shouldn’t be in the class are also really
immature and misbehaving, and that disturbs the other students.”
In addition to counselors looking more harshly at GPA and
citizenship grades, students who want to move into advanced
classes should also have to get a signature from three current
teachers. That way, a thorough examination of the student’s behavior
— not just intellect — can be conducted, which allows for
fewer distractions in class and it keeps those students who just
want the weighted grade out.
“There should be GPA requirements because if someone
has a low GPA, then they shouldn’t be allowed in an AP class
because they shouldn’t waste the teacher’s
time,” sophomore Noah Pistory said. “They
should raise it before trying to join an honors
class.”
Along with minimizing class distractions,
admissions criteria would keep class sizes
down. In a school where some AP and honors
classes are comprised of 25 students in
one period, such as Dr. Susan King’s second
block AP World class, smaller classes would
not be a bad thing.
In addition to that, larger class sizes provoke
the need to talk to peers more, even
when teaching is going on, which distracts
the class further. Distractions in class cause
student’s learning to be disrupted as well as
the teachings of the lesson, which impacts
the overall classroom environment and even
grades of other students.
“I think there should be a citizenship
requirement,” senior Claire Huang said.
“There should also be class requirements,
like you have to go through one class to get
to another one.”
Some students believe that honors
classes should have an open enrollment and that any student,
regardless of their preparedness for the material or their behavior
in their other classes should be able to take an honors- or
AP-level course.
“It should be a free learning opportunity for all students,”
sophomore Alex Edelman said.
Yes, kids who want to challenge themselves should be able
to, but before they challenge themselves in an honors or AP
class, they should challenge themselves to get their GPA up and
their citizenship grades up so that they can be an asset to the
class, not a detriment to the learning environment.