A four year study by Harvard’s Philip M. Sadler and UVA’s Robert H. Tai concludes that, while the curriculum and rigor required of student in AP courses is worthy, success in AP science and math courses cannot predict a student’s success once in college.

Sadler concludes for the Harvard Gazette (High School AP Courses Do Not Predict College Success in Science):

“In general, it appears that the educational benefits of an AP science course as opposed to a regular high school honors course are smaller than students and teachers have been led to believe.”

Over the years, the SAT and AP have always required a healthy dose of skepticism regarding their predictive abilities. When push came to shove regarding the predictive nature and correlations to student success, the links have always been tenuous or absent. But, the predictive nature of the test always seemed implicit in much of the tests’ literature. Now we see a documented disconnect.

Philip M. Sadler of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics tells the Harvard Gazette:

“…Our survey, the largest ever of its type, suggests that AP courses do not contribute substantially to student success in college…Even a score of 5 on an AP test is no guarantee of a college grade of A in the same subject…” (HG)

Conclusions after surveying “18,000 students at 63 randomly selected colleges and universities to correlate these educational factors with students’ actual performance and persistence in college courses:” (HG)

• “Mathematical fluency is the single best predictor of college performance in biology, chemistry, and physics, giving a strong advantage to students whose high school science courses integrate mathematics…”

• “Students whose high school coursework emphasizes depth over breadth perform better in college courses…”

• “Laboratory experience as part of high school courses can be beneficial, but primarily when there is minimal preparation needed beforehand, the outcome of experiments is unknown in advance, and lab reports are written afterward…” (HG)

So what does it mean for boarding school teachers, administrators and students?

• Students should take the most challenging course load possible.

• Never forsake the next math and/or science class.

• Learn the languages and concepts of your subjects.

• Consider taking the college courses from which high AP tests scores might have exempted you.

For colleges, “He (Sadler) advocates that colleges and universities tighten their awarding of AP credit, since many students currently use AP credit to avoid college science courses altogether.” (HG)

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