Higher-level courses attracting students

Half of U.S. teenagers are now taking honors or Advanced Placement courses in school, according to the most recent Gallup Youth Survey. The report suggests that the high advanced class-taking rates reflect a response to intense competition to get into good colleges.

The survey looked at the connection between academic course work and academic achievement as well as students’ sources of motivation. Among 13- to 17-year-olds who say their academic standing is “near the top” of their class or “above average,” 78 percent take AP or honors classes. This compares with only 15 percent of those who say they are “average” or “below average” in their class. When asked about their relative standing, 57 percent put themselves in the top two categories, while 42 percent say they are in the bottom two.

The survey also asked questions designed to get at students’ sense of motivation for taking tougher classes. More than three-fourths of those who say “my motivation comes from within” take AP or honors courses, compared with 36 percent who say “I need someone to motivate me.”

Not surprisingly, the survey also showed higher levels of enrollment in advanced courses among students who says they plan to attend college full time—62 percent—compared with 44 percent of students planning to attend college only part time.

Finally, the survey looked at the relationship between test-taking and ethnicity and found a substantial gap. Among white students, 56 percent of teens currently take honors or AP classes, while only 40 percent of nonwhite students do. The report’s authors cite a 2002 study in the American Educational Research Journal that outlined some barriers minority students face in enrolling in high-level courses, including teachers and guidance counselors who sometimes discourage them from enrolling, as well as social factors such as being the only minority student in the class or wanting to remain in courses with their friends.

“That half of U.S. teens say they take honors or AP classes should be encouraging,” the report says. “But some students are more likely than others to enroll in these challenging courses. Schools must continue striving to make their advanced courses accessible to all students.”

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