As students’ schedule for the 2026-2027 school year is there is a debate about what classes you should take. Whether to take AP Classes or normal classes is a big discussion. Multiple students believe that advanced placement stacking is important. In sophomore year they take up to four and then six AP’s in their junior year. Others believe there should be a balance and only choose to take two to three AP classes.
Anti AP stacking
“ AP courses can be a great opportunity, but balance is key. I have seen many students overload on AP courses, which leads to stress and limiting engagement in other meaningful parts of high school. A well-rounded experience that includes academics, activities, and time for yourself is essential for long-term success and well-being,” Nicole Crothers said.
It is important to create balance when a school schedule is created. Yes it is necessary to be successful in school, but so is mental health. If one is stacking AP classes it gives less opportunity to do activities outside of the classroom. Teachers want students to be able to enjoy themselves outside of the classroom because life is not all about school. When students are able to socialize with friends and family they are happier because they get to socialize with others.
“ But, remarkably, there is virtually no research pinning down cause and effect — that is, whether taking AP courses actually helps students succeed,” Amanda Zoug said from the article More students are taking AP exams, but researchers don’t know if that helps them.
Studies have shown students who take more AP classes do not get ahead of students who do not take as many. AP classes help students get a more advanced experience in schools and gives them the opportunity to get college credit, but most of the time they are not ahead of other students. The main difference between the regular class and AP is the student knows more information. This is because the AP classes go into more depth and further content.
Students prefer AP classes because they feel they are challenged and get to have a deeper concept of the topic they have an interest in, but at the same time there are other classes similar to AP and not as stressful. One example of this is AP psychology and regular psychology. Students get to choose whether they want that advancement and most do choose to take the AP class version. Even though there is a less stressful class option.
When students can have a social life outside of school it is beneficial. Students who socialize outside of school and participate in extracurriculars have a better chance to be happier.
“We know from talking to students that they are feeling tired, stressed, and bored, but were surprised by how overwhelming it was,” said Brita Belli from the article National survey: Students’ feelings about high school are mostly negative.
Students only focus on school and then their mental health does not do well. This is because they are stressed over the workload of school and forget that life is more than school.
Mental health has become a big problem for students the last few years. It is a serious topic which should not be joked about. A big factor that plays into mental health is school. When students are able to have a balanced school life and personal life it helps students feel more comfortable, but if students are only think about AP classes it makes this balance more difficult to achieve.
In whole, students need to make sure they balance out school academics and their social life, so they feel more stable in life. As well as, help out with students’ mental health.
Pro AP stacking
AP classes are essential to show rigor, endurance and academic achievement in high school. The level is harder than normal classes, you have more material, harder questions and more homework. However, it is also why it is also a lot more worthwhile in the end. With the right work ethic, time management and tools it is more than possible to maintain a balance.
One of the biggest benefits of AP classes is, they can help you finish college credits early. When you score between three-five on end of year AP exams it can allow you to earn college credits. College is expensive and the more classes and years you study the more expensive it gets. Students have to pay thousands of dollars in tuition and get themselves into debt. AP classes in high school are a fraction of the price and are a far better option. You save time as well, four years of undergraduate and depending on your career two-six more years of school are needed. If you can get college credits earlier it can decrease your undergraduate time.
Next AP classes are also important to show colleges your ability. College only gets harder than high school in terms of materials. There are some factors which might be better in high school, but college workload is like,if not more than AP classes in high school. This gives you an opportunity to prepare and get yourself ready for the college environment.
To former belief there is a benefit of AP’s while in college selection.
When colleges look at your classes they see if students can deal with the school’s rigorous course. It also shows determination, resilience and responsibility in students. AP classes require you to have these traits and you only need more of these attributes in college. When students show that they have done AP classes colleges are to be more impressed and choose you over the latter student.
Lastly, AP’s are also beneficial because they provide a GPA boost. Instead of being scored out of four points you get scored out of 5. If you choose the right AP classes to stack you can use it to your advantage. Colleges look for competitive GPA’s and AP’s can help highlight it. They can also help your scores if you are doing bad in other classes.You can balance your grades out, when you take AP classes that are fit for you and get good grades.
Overall AP classes are beneficial when they are chosen right. They can help you with getting into college showing your capabilities and hardwork.They can help you grades and allow you to have a more competitive portfolio. They also prepare you for college so you are successful when you deal with change.
In conclusion, AP stacking is a controversial topic because everybody has different views due to various lifestyles and perspectives. There are pros and cons of AP classes, but the overall choice is all based on the student.
