AP: What it means to local students

After reading Maureen Dolan's article "Making the grade?," I wanted to share my personal experience concerning the AP program. I attended the Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy for my entire high school career and graduated with a modest 3.2 cumulative GPA. More importantly, I walked into my first class at North Idaho College with 29 credits under my belt and a solid academic foundation. NIC, like many colleges, doles out credit for passing scores on many AP exams. In my case two full-time semesters valued at $1,382 each, not including room and board. Not bad for an initial investment of $694.

As long as the AP program is maintained in Coeur d'Alene high schools, students have the opportunity to save money and get a head start on their college degrees - an aspect the school district should consider before "pulling the plug" on this program. The classes themselves may cost the schools a bit more, but it gives students access to an opportunity to save thousands of dollars in college costs.

A decision by the school board to cut the AP program due to costs would be shortsighted considering the opportunities the program gives students. Without the AP designation and the opportunity for college credit I would have never considered taking the hardest classes my school had to offer. Every student should have access to these programs which will help them turn their hard work into college credit. Few other programs can make such a boast for so little cost.

KYRUS ILLYERIAN

Coeur d'Alene