Challenging courses pay off for college-bound students

The start of a new school year strikes fear into the hearts of some parents. Teenagers are one year closer to graduation, and they have one year less to prepare for college.

For many, even before the SAT’s and the carefully worded admissions essays, preparing for college begins with beefing up those high school records.

“When we take a look at applicants probably the first thing we look at are the courses that they take. And then we take a look next at what could they take […] because that varies so much from high school to high school,” says Phillip Bellinger, head of admissions at the University of Washington and former chair of the National Advanced Placement Advisory Committee.

So, is it better to go for straight A’s in basic high school classes or risk a B in a tougher course?

“Really, the first thing I think we’re interested in is the rigor of the course,” Bellinger says.

High school students in our state seem to be getting the message. Since 2007, there has been nearly a 50 percent increase in the number of students taking Advanced Placement exams according to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Once a student has decided they want to take on the challenge, the next question is which route to take. The decision is often made geographically based on what advanced courses are offered at the local school. But at many schools students have several options.

“Here at Liberty we have A.P. classes and we also have some college in the high school classes. For some courses we offer both,” says Liberty High School Vice Principal Sean Martin.

Martin also helped organize the International Baccalaureate Program at Skyline High School in the Issaquah School District. He says one difference between I.B. and Advanced Placement is that students only get college credit for an A.P. class if they pass a test at the end of the year. In the I.B. program students build a portfolio which is graded along with an end exam.

Also, in A.P., students can choose to take just one or two advanced classes. International Baccalaureate students are usually working toward an I.B. diploma which includes six exams across all areas of study.

Yet another option is dual enrollment also known as Running Start. Students can get college credit for advanced high school courses and in some cases even take those classes on a college campus.

“College in the high school there isn’t the pressure of that one exam at the end and you kind of know where you stand along the way,” Martin says.

Students who pass the class automatically get college credit. One drawback is that if a student wants to enroll in an out of state or international university there is no guarantee that course will transfer.

Another thing for students to think about is that when they are enrolled in a college course they are beginning their permanent transcripts. Whether they get an A or a C, it will affect their college GPA.

That is just fine with 17-year-old Liberty High School senior Veronica Austin. She took four Advanced Placement classes last year and was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA. She attempted and passed two A.P. tests. Austin chose to take college credit in a third course.

“I spent a lot of time, on weekends especially, with all the reading that was required,” Ausin says.

Martin says it is not just about the extra work. Whether the classes are A.P., I.B. or dual enrollment, the idea is to get kids thinking differently.

“It really asks students to challenge themselves not just in the amount of work they put in, but in the way they think about things,” says Martin.

For students willing to make the effort there are other benefits to taking the more challenging courses in high school. They can lead to savings on college tuition. They can also help students skip some of those freshman level classes that often have hundreds of students.

Parents might not be able to help with the homework, but they can help their hard working high schooler stay on track. Austin says one of the best thing her parents have done for her is remind her to study and make sure her assignments are done on time.

“Yes, it’s annoying, but it does help me stay focused,” says Austin.

Heading into her senior year, Austin has signed up for four Advanced Placement classes. She is the editor of the school newspaper and has a part-time job. Austin plans to focus on foreign language and journalism in college and someday become a foreign correspondent.