Current Carlmont sophomores cannot take the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) English III course in the upcoming school year. This decision, made earlier this school year, has led to various conflicting opinions within the Carlmont community.
The AS English III course was designed for students seeking an additional year of preparation before advancing to an Advanced Placement (AP) level English course. Rather than choosing either AP Language and Composition or standard college prep English, juniors were allowed an extra year of preparation before taking a college-level course during their senior year.
While many factors contributed to the removal of the course, a significant factor was that many viewed the course as unnecessary.
“They seem similar, so I might as well take the AP course for college credit,” said Kenshu Bullock, a sophomore at Carlmont.
To others, an additional year of preparation for an AP-level course is appealing. AS English III is a five-point course, allowing students to boost their GPA without taking on the workload of an AP-level course.
“If the course were still available, I would have considered taking it. I am already taking several other AP courses, so if I could take another five-point class without adding an AP course to my schedule, I would have taken the opportunity,” said Xavier Piro, a sophomore at Carlmont.
On the contrary, many students feel indifferent to the decision. Although the course would prepare students for AP English, many students entering their junior year already feel prepared to take an AP-level English course.
“This decision has not impacted me. I would have taken the AP option, even if the course were still available. I don’t need to take an additional course to prepare for AP English,” Bullock said.
With the end of the year approaching and sophomores in the midst of selecting their classes for next year, the impact of AS English III’s removal on students remains to be seen.
“As this is the first year the course has not been available, we are not entirely sure how it will impact students,” said Julia Smith, a guidance counselor at Carlmont.
Despite the varying opinions on removing AS English III, the decision regarding the course will impact students in the coming years.
“I knew a lot of students who had taken the course in previous years. With that option no longer available, students will be forced to decide between standard and AP English, which could significantly impact their academic paths,” Smith said.
