By Yara Kaafarani and Anaisha Mallik

At Winsor, taking AP classes is often viewed, by both students and colleges, as a marker of ambition and academic rigor. The courses promise challenges and the potential to earn college credit or even skip introductory classes. Yet the reality is much more complicated. For many students, APs become less about genuine learning and more about surviving. What should be an opportunity to spark curiosity often turns into memorizing information and racing through material just to achieve a high score. But the question remains: do AP classes both at Winsor and around the country truly foster meaningful learning, or are they simply a measure of performance?

The pressure surrounding APs can make school feel like a constant sprint. Students juggling multiple APs often prioritize efficiency over depth, mastering test strategies instead of engaging with ideas. Assignments are designed for performance and exam preparation rather than exploration. Even at Winsor, where discussion and inquiry is central to the academic experience, the rigid AP curriculum can make learning feel narrow, with few chances to pursue individual interests. Eleanor Chen ’27 says that “the focus on the exam can take away from the enjoyment of the class.” 

Naturally, AP classes can still be valuable. They offer structure, challenge, and an opportunity to handle demanding material. But completing APs does not necessarily mean students are learning more. True academic growth often comes from exploration, less rigid projects, and curricula that push students to think for themselves. Those are the kinds of learning experiences that no standardized exam can measure.

Winsor’s approach helps explain why the school offers fewer APs overall. Instead of maintaining an extensive AP catalog, the school provides advanced electives that encourage students to engage deeply with complex material and to learn for understanding and growth rather than for test performance. These courses allow students to ask questions, make connections, and explore topics thoughtfully.

Simultaneously, Winsor does offer most of the standard math and science APs, such as Biology, Chemistry, Calculus, and Physics, but no humanities APs beyond languages. In this way, the school strikes a balance: offering APs in subjects where memorization, structure, and standardized testing can be more effective in measuring understanding, while maintaining electives in areas like English and history, where discussion and interpretation are more valuable.

At Winsor, the goal is not to simply accumulate APs or impress colleges, but to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and engagement with the world. While AP classes may serve a purpose, the school’s approach suggests that meaningful learning comes from more than just tests and scores. Further restructuring might look like AP-style courses that allow more independence from the standard College Board curriculum, place less emphasis on the May exam, or simply prioritize depth over breadth. As Winsor and other schools continue to rethink what a thorough high school curriculum means, it is worth asking whether AP classes live up to their promise, or whether there are more meaningful ways to cultivate rigorous learning.