Some students scrolling through their news feeds on a Wednesday night saw a status update that offered to pay someone to transfer from one period of an AP class to another.
“We explained to the student that that was unacceptable here,” Counselor Ms. Deanne Sciarrotta said. “We would have reversed the student’s schedule if money had been exchanged.”
Though counselors can change many students’ schedules, some class periods cannot be moved around. Various classes, such as AP Spanish and AP Studio Art, are offered only once during the day during the same period, and students hoping to to take both must drop one. Others have reached their maximum student capacity of 34, so students cannot switch into a period without someone else opting out.
AP students face pressure from parents and peers to take AP classes, as well as motivation from the college credit, boosted GPAs and impressive transcripts. When transferring into classes is impossible, students may resort to other means to get the coveted spot, such as money offers.
Ms. Sciarrotta encourages students to recognize that the counselors prioritize students who will graduate soon because of the high class enrollment rates. They also try to make sure students take the classes necessary to receive their diplomas and to attend either the UC or CSU school systems.
“In college, you can’t always choose your professors and switch your classes around,” Ms. Sciarrotta said. “High school is a microcosm of the real world, and it’s good for students to recognize that sometimes it just doesn’t work out.”