Across campus, schedules are shifting as more students choose to step away from Advanced Placement (AP) and honors classes. As reported by NeaToday, advanced classes can be challenging for students who are juggling extracurricular activities, heavy homework loads and their mental health. Counselors started permitting students to drop from advanced or AP classes after getting a feel for the school year, aiming to help students better align with their academic goals and support their progress in classes.

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 18, forms were distributed for students to indicate which class they wished to drop. The deadline for submitting class changes was Friday, Sept. 26. Sophomore Meg Gohean said that it took approximately three days to complete the transition into the new class.

“I was very indecisive at first,” Gohean said. “So I spoke with my teacher, counselor, and my family to figure out if I should remain in Algebra 2 advanced or switch to on-level.”

On-level classes cover the standard curriculum of a course, while advanced classes include more challenging content. AP classes are typically structured at a faster pace compared to on-level classes, and students are encouraged to consider enrolling in them to enhance their academic experience. They are harder, but they come with a test at the end of the year from College Board that is scored on a scale of 1-5. If you pass the exam (3-5), you get a college credit for that class, making your tuition cheaper when you go to college.

“My class is now very chill and a bit slow-paced,” junior Renee Holguin said. “I like it because I’m taking all these other AP classes, and it is nice to have a break and a good environment to be in.”

In order to drop down, students had to have a conference with their teacher. Following that, teachers were required to reach out to parents via email or phone conversation. Only after this could a teacher proceed with moving the student down.

“My teacher suggested that I drop down,” Gohean said. “She felt it was a good idea for me, and respected my choice to step down from the advanced class.”

Teachers like AP Language and Composition teacher Kristin Burke like a classroom that is welcoming to students of all kinds. She said she stands firm in showing students that struggle does not equal failure.

“I’m not so focused on them making an A, but them growing as readers and writers,” Burke said. “I try to make sure that they know they’re welcome and I’ll do whatever I can to support them.”

Dropping a class can result in significant changes to students’ schedules because some classes may not be easily rescheduled to accommodate the students’ needs. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), when students drop down from higher-level classes, they often face limited seat availability in lower-level alternatives, extended waitlists or prerequisites that must be completed first. Holguin learned that she needed to have flexibility and patience as counselors worked to adjust her schedule.

“I didn’t want my whole schedule shifting,” Holguin said. “My counselor worked with me to make as few changes in my schedule as possible, and it was very helpful.”

At first glance, some students struggle early on, leading them to consider dropping down before fully exploring the higher-level course. Burke and other teachers observe this behavior and encourage students to reflect on their experiences before jumping to conclusions.

“I have this motto that if the wind is a stressor, don’t be the candle, be the wildfire,” Burke said. “I like for students to challenge themselves and hopefully get excited about learning.”