Limited course selection obstructs underclassman education

In the information it puts out to the community, the school often says it offers a wide variety of courses that cater to each student’s interests and needs. This isn’t as true as it should be, especially for younger students.

Like many other schools in the Bay Area, the school is highly competitive, whether it be standardized test scores; club, class officer  and ASB leadership positions; GPA; or college placement.

Despite this commonality among schools in the area, Saratoga High is one of the few high-performing schools that limit students in their advanced course selection to such a great extent. 

At Monta Vista, for instance, freshmen are allowed to take AP Environmental Science, and sophomores are allowed to take AP Physics I. Almost every other nearby school allows juniors to take AP Language and Composition, unlike here where it is a seniors-only course. To meet the needs of its students, the school should loosen its restrictions on entering advanced classes. 

With more than 99 percent of students at the school planning on pursuing higher education according to Saratoga High’s School Profile, it is logical that many students, including underclassmen, are already aware of their interests or of the major they would like to pursue in college. Students may want a challenge in a vastly different subject so as to skip required courses in college and focus on subjects they are more interested in. 

Or, perhaps they are just one of many competitive students trying to boost their GPA. Students seeking a more fulfilling education should not be barred  from taking the courses they need to achieve their goals.

In fact, some higher-level courses have prerequisites created for the sole purpose of limiting underclassmen. For instance, it doesn’t make sense that in order to do well in AP Physics 2, students need a solid understanding of either redox reactions from Chemistry or “1984” from English 10. 

Some students, myself included, have greatly benefited from the ability to skip courses. Since I plan on majoring in math or a related field in college, it was fortunate that Redwood Middle School and Saratoga High let me take the math courses I did. However, many science and humanities students don’t have these advanced options.

Of course, it should be acknowledged that some classes are intended specifically for students of certain grade levels. For example, sophomores shouldn’t be allowed to take English 11, but if they can demonstrate proficiency in the necessary skills, should be allowed into courses like AP English Language and Composition. Hopefully, these students will interpret their participation in the course as a challenge, an opportunity to enhance their learning.

One potential issue that may arise with this change is the vast difference between freshmen and seniors regarding maturity and behavior. But this isn’t always an issue.  Speaking as a sophomore who takes math courses alongside seniors, I have found it generally true that younger students adjust their behavior to that of the typical student in a class. As a result, the maturity level in higher-level courses would still be sufficient for the class to function properly.

Preventing students who are ready to take college-level courses from pursuing their passion serves no real purpose. The school community needs to reconsider the way that prerequisites are set up to allow freshmen and sophomores to take classes that more closely align with their goals.

And as for upperclassmen who complain about being surrounded by younger students, they must acknowledge that school is about learning, even for students younger than themselves.