March+6,+2012+-+HALR+Ch+17+reflection

HALR Chapter 17 “The Literacy Demands of Entering the University”

This chapter was an interesting observation regarding the Advanced Placement classes and the dual enrollment programs offered for high school students. It has always been my understanding that these opportunities were in place so the high achieving student would be able to start fulfilling their college requirements when they were ready, instead of having to wait till they graduated from high school. In fact, as a parent I have encouraged my own children to take these AP classes so that we would not have to fund them through college tuition when they did enter college. You can imagine my surprise at the research results that dual enrollment classes outperformed the AP classes, and in most cases, neither AP nor dual enrollment programs were sufficient for the students to eliminate the courses from their schedules upon entering college. These programs were initially intended to prepare students for college, not to replace the courses. According to a BYU study, “students who score a 3 on the AP exam and do not take a first year writing course are likely to suffer real consequences in sophomore courses that require writing assignments. (p. 259) The research also indicated that the students that performed best did follow up with a first year writing course after taking their AP class. As the number of AP classes offered increases, as well as the number of students with dual enrollment, will there be a greater need for writing centers and workshops to help these students meet the postsecondary expectations?