As a graduate of the Bellevue School District, I was well prepared for college. However our system is not without its flaws.

My primary concern is the requiring of AP and higher level classes. Don’t get me wrong, I strongly agree with offering of AP classes, but requiring all students to enroll in them is ridiculous. College is not for everyone.

I took multiple AP classes and their corresponding tests, only some were by choice. If I opted to sign up for the non-AP class at my high school, I would be talked to by the administration and they would strongly suggest I enroll in the AP class.

I am aware at my lack of aptitude in History and English, and thus made effort to avoid the AP level classes in these areas.

Our schools consistently rank in the upper 200 of the nations’ best public schools. In the case of Newsweek’s rankings, “college-preparedness” is measured by the number of AP tests taken, not passed, per graduating senior. By requiring, or even strongly recommending, AP classes, our rankings move up.

College Board and the BSD will argue that taking AP classes motivates one to go to college, but in reality it is the opposite.

Required AP is counterproductive. Students should be allowed the freedom to choose to take these higher rigor courses.

Patrick Daly, graduate of International School and student at Western Washington University