AP (or Advanced Placement) classes are a large part of the modern education system of America. While some people believe that AP classes are more beneficial than harmful, an abundance of these courses can be counterproductive to a student’s education.

Advanced Placement is a program in the United States, which was developed by the College Board. The College Board is a national not-for-profit organization that administers standardized tests that help colleges determine if a student is fit for their school. Advanced Placement offers college-level courses and examinations to high school students. If a student scores well on an AP test, the course credit that they earned from completing the class can go towards their college credits.

There is a lot of pressure for higher level students to take AP classes. According to a Chicago Tribune article by Jaclyn Grimm, many advanced students feel pressure by universities that expect rigorous courses on their transcripts, which causes them to pile on difficult courses that they do not have an interest in. Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at Stanford University, believes that if a student is interested in a course and surrounded by other interested students, they will most likely benefit from taking a more advanced course. However, if they are uninterested in the subject, students will typically perform better in a less challenging class that circulates around a subject they are interested in.

Evidently, an overload of work can cause a student to feel extremely stressed and uneasy. According to a USA Today article, high school students have a tendency to resort to unhealthy activities to deal with their stress, such as spending time online and playing video games. In some cases, students will skip meals and lose sleep because they have a large amount of content to learn, therefore, affecting their performance in school the following day.

While AP classes can be beneficial in helping a student receive admission to colleges, it is important to weigh the consequences. Too much work in a curriculum can lead to unhealthy behavior and habits. It is important to consider the subject in which the class is based upon, and the amount of challenging classes in a curriculum before selecting coursework.