As TA for those dreaded freshman surveys, I have experience firsthand the variety of the approach of various professors. Sometimes better in terms of theme, perspective, often worse because of large lecture, lack of personal attention. Yes, they do require the students to take responsibility, but of course, Freshmen often are not very interested in doing so.
I appreciated the persepcctive of your commentator who noted the value of the surveys, as after my experience I vowed never to teach one.
I think the real probelm with AP courses is the moniker: "Advanced Placement" implies that the student will somehow be placed out of classes. I know my daughter got no credit at all, and that was fine. I think they are really an oppportunity, as you and others have noted, to see that students get a challanging course at a pseudo-college level, and as an indicator that the student can do college level work. and if they are seen that way, then the survey would be valuable for a background. That in fact is how they are currently used, so as I said, the main problem is what they are called. But this relates mostly to History/English. I think the sciences may be different, but I don't know.
But the reason I bring this to your attention is that the Gates foundation has just put big money into Early College as a model for disadvantaged high school students. http://www.earlycolleges.org/ Apparantly they think it is a viable model. I am interested to see how this works out.
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