By: Julian Escalante
Cathedral High School is known for its high-achieving students who challenge themselves with rigorous academics. This has been true for decades, and it continued when Early Enrollment Courses through El Paso Community College were brought to La Cate. This new opportunity gave students the chance to graduate from Cathedral with not only a High School Diploma, but also a collegiate Associate Degree.
Yet, around the same time, Advanced Placement (AP) courses were also introduced–college–level coursework that helps prepare students for university-level work. However, unlike EA courses, AP courses use an end-of-year proctored exam to determine whether students earn college-level credit. These exams are graded on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Both advanced classes aim to give students the same goal, college credit, but the debate aims to answer which is better.
The problem is that there is no definite answer. Both courses have their own advantages.
Our EA Lab, where students work on thier EA classes.
In the EA pathway, students receive a curriculum directly from professors at a local Community College. This allows students to challenge themselves with a curriculum they may face when they move to universities after graduation. Cathedral High School provides a variety of different courses, mainly following the Multidisciplinary Studies degree plan. Some students even change their degree and take courses they can use as they pursue different careers, such as Business, Biology, Criminal Justice, etc. However, the biggest challenge is transferring credits to the college they plan to attend. Most credits through EPCC are accepted throughout Texas, but aren't as widely recognized out of state. Some notable Universities that accept these credits include: University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. However, universities such as Notre Dame, Georgetown, and Duke may not allow the transfer.
On the other hand, Advanced Placement courses have a higher probability of being accepted out of state, depending on your score. These classes are equally as difficult and recognized as college preparatory courses that give college credit to High School students. However, as mentioned before, the credit depends solely on the grade of the final cumulative exam. Students prepare throughout the entire school year for one exam in May. Students who score a 3 or above pass the course and can use the credit, depending on their University. Students who score below a 3 have “failed” the class and cannot earn any credit. This places immense pressure on students to pass a single test by the end of the year, rather than earning a grade over a semester. However, despite the daunting idea of one test, this pathway gives students looking to go out of state the best opportunity to earn college credit, be recognized for taking the most challenging coursework, and take the same course as thousands of students across the country.
Both pathways have pros and cons, making it difficult for students to decide what's best for them. Yet no single option is better for college applications. Both give the same GPA boost at Cathedral, fulfill your graduation requirements, and challenge students to grow academically. Your path depends solely on personal preference. So the question is, what are you looking to gain from your classes?