What’s on the minds of Bromfield students? The Press asks them to weigh in on a variety of topics.

This month: A curious trend has developed over the past several years at Bromfield. As college admissions have become ever more competitive, students have begun to accelerate their academic schedules in unprecedented ways. In the current junior class, for example, several students doubled either their math or science courses during their freshman year in order to surpass the traditional curriculum. In the same year, a few exceptional students went even further, opting to skip the sophomore honors biology class and enrolling instead in AP biology, typically a senior course. Since then, the number of students to either double-up classes or skip honors courses altogether has significantly increased. While such zealous acts surely deserve praise and recognition, they also raise the question: are students creating an inescapable world of competition for themselves, or are they simply acting on a motivation and a desire to learn? Most importantly, should school limit the rigor of a student’s schedule, or should it push the caliber of students?

Casey Magrath, freshman:

[Sophomores who take AP bio] are skipping a year of science, so the older kids might have to teach them what they missed and that can take away from the older kids’ learning, which is kind of a pain for them, but I understand the kids want to get ahead and get in good classes before college. I think if [someone] is a really good student, an A+ student, and [he or she] can handle it, then go for it, but I think if [kids] want to take AP bio they should have to take a summer class because it can be a pain for the older kids.

Will Byler, sophomore:

I think as long as [kids taking AP] don’t just move up but then drop down a level, it should be fine. As long as the kids know what they are signed up for, I mean AP classes are [really hard] but [I know someone] who took AP bio this year and he’s a really smart kid and he definitely knew what was in store for him. So I think it’s okay so long as they can keep everything else in check and not just focus on that one class. As long as kids and parents aren’t complaining, it’s fine.

Michael Finnegan, freshman:

I think it’s good because kids are going to be able to do more AP classes when they are older, but it does have a bad effect because then kids won’t have more time when they are younger to do what they want, like maybe it will take time out of their sports which they might want to pursue, but I think that if they really want to do it they should be allowed to … I do think [the administration] should slightly discourage it though, so that kids don’t feel like they have to. It should only be if they really want to. I think that they should try and discourage a lot of younger kids, and make sure seniors should take priority over sophomores.

Jordan Davy, junior:

I guess I don’t see what the point is to take AP bio early unless it’s something that really interests you ... I wouldn’t want to prevent people from doing it, but I don’t think kids are doing it for the right reasons. I think they are doing it to put on their college applications, and I don’t think that [they] need that until [their] junior or senior year. Kids will feel like they aren’t smart if they don’t take AP, but [they] are really smart if [they] are just in honors. You aren’t supposed to feel bad that you aren’t taking AP. There is such a thing as too many APs.

Eve Karon, junior:

I don’t think that kids should be able to take AP bio until their junior or senior years because it’s starting them off way too early. Honors bio is going to turn into nonhonors bio and kids are going to be pressured to skip honors and take AP sophomore year. And then other classes are going to become the same way: kids will want to take AP chem and not take honors chem, or take AP calc and not take pre-calc and it will just spiral out, and kids won’t have enough classes to take and by senior year all their classes will be AP classes because there won’t be any others left. I think that the administration should tell kids that they have to take honors first.

Brett Keating, junior:

I don’t think it really makes a difference because kids are just challenging themselves. Why shouldn’t it be available? It’s their choice. It’s a dirty process getting into college, so anything [kids] can do to get ahead is good. I just think it’s good motivation. Kids are learning more, earlier, so when they get to college they will be ahead because they have learned all this stuff before they even got there. I mean it’s not good to take it if it’s going to ruin their lives, and if they do, then it’s their choice.