Faceoff: AP exams and EOC

Should students taking AP exams have to take course-related EOCs?

Design by Sydney Mulford

For

Hritvi Ahuja, Staff Writer

Assessments serve as crucial milestones for students, to expand their mastery of content and skills. Two such assessments, the Advanced Placement (AP) exams and End-of-Course (EOC) exams, play distinct yet complementary roles in shaping students' academic journeys. While both are assessments of high school-level material, they serve different purposes and offer unique benefits to students.

The AP exams, administered by the College Board, are renowned for their rigorous content and high standards. They allow students to demonstrate proficiency in college-level material across a variety of subjects, including literature and history. Unlike traditional high school assessments, AP exams delve deeper into subject matter, challenging students to think critically, analyze complex texts, and formulate well-reasoned arguments. The deeper scope of thinking benefits the student not only in college, but also after. 

Meanwhile, EOC exams are mandated by states and are often a requirement for high school graduation. These exams typically cover the essential content and skills outlined in state curriculum standards. While they may not be as comprehensive or as in-depth as AP exams, EOC exams ensure that students meet minimum competency levels in core subjects such as English literature and U.S. history.

For students, excelling in both AP and EOC exams offers numerous advantages. First, it demonstrates a high level of academic achievement and proficiency in college-level material. By successfully navigating the rigorous demands of AP courses and exams, students showcase their readiness for higher education and future professional endeavors.

In the case of American Literature and Composition, both AP and EOC exams play crucial roles in honing students' literacy skills. While EOC exams may focus on comprehension and analysis of prescribed texts, AP exams delve deeper into critical thinking, argumentation, and rhetorical analysis. Through comprehensive preparation for both exams, students develop a broad range of literacy skills essential for success in academia and beyond.

Similarly, in subjects like U.S. history, the distinction between AP and EOC exams becomes evident. While both exams cover the same timeline, AP U.S. History (APUSH) expands into greater depth and complexity, offering students a deeper understanding of historical events and themes. In this context, opting for the APUSH exam over the standard EOC exam provides students with a richer learning experience and better prepares them for the rigors of college-level coursework, as APUSH and U.S. History have the same basis of curriculum.

Excelling in AP and EOC exams can significantly enhance students' college applications. Admissions officers value candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence and a willingness to challenge themselves with rigorous coursework. By showcasing proficiency in both AP and EOC exams, students differentiate themselves from their peers and present themselves as well-rounded, capable individuals.

Preparing for both AP and EOC exams fosters a growth mindset among students. As they tackle challenging content and navigate complex tasks, they develop the confidence and resilience needed to overcome future obstacles. This growth mindset not only enhances academic performance but also prepares students for the many challenges they will encounter in college and beyond.

Against

Carter Willis, Sports Editor

Amidst the stress that occurs during the Advanced Placement (AP) exam season in the spring, the last thing students need is an unnecessary test to tack on to their already daunting schedule. It is completely nonsensical—and frankly insulting—to require AP students to take an EOC exam that tests proficiency. I thought that having Advanced Placement in the name of the course title kind of suggests that AP students are already proficient in the subject, especially when it seems to take an act of God to waiver into an AP class through a high school counseling department. 

Take AP Language and Composition for example. It is required for students who take this course to take both the AP exam and the EOC. AP Language and Composition teachers tell their students before taking the EOC that they have to “dumb down” their writing because the state is looking for elementary transition phrases like “to start off my essay” and “in conclusion.” It is illogical for the state to require AP students to dumb down their writing abilities to those of their peers whom they passed linguistically ages ago. 

Nothing about this process makes sense. It is an insult to AP students, AP teachers, and taxpayers whose money goes to these extra exams. The decision to give the exams to AP students is up to the State Board of Education, which is comprised of board members appointed by the governor. With the way Governor Kemp has governed the state, who can be surprised at the illogical way of thinking from his State Board of Education appointees? I mean, this is the same governor who will not expand Medicaid in his state because the person who gave Georgia the federal funding to do it was Barack Obama. Did anyone really think this guy was going to put the most logical thinkers on the State Board of Education? This is the same governor who just signed Senate Bill 233 to give $6,500 to students seeking to attend private schools. I don't know about you, but I don’t know a single private school in Georgia that has year-round tuition of anything close to $6,500. In addition, 50 counties in Georgia don’t even have a private school, so rural taxpayers will be footing the bill of only wealthy Atlantans to use this money for their vacation. Kemp either does not know how basic economics works or could care less about anyone who is not a wealthy, private-school-attending family. Regardless of which one it is (and I’m greatly inclined to believe it’s the latter), this is not the person you want to have a role in deciding how children are educated. 

So in November 2024, and November 2026 when Kemp is up for reelection, make sure you understand who you are voting for and what that person’s track record is. Otherwise, we will continue a continuous cycle of unfathomable policy decisions --  like students having to take the EOC and AP exam -- from the state and local levels that impact our daily lives.