OPINION: Having no APs or Finals is doing more harm than good for CGS students
By Ann Crosby ‘25
Graphis AP test answer sheet
Courtesy of The Echo
Last semester, sitting in the Modern Middle East, my teacher asked who had ever taken a mid-term or final exam. To my surprise, only two people raised their hands, me and one other of my classmates. The majority of us were seniors; however, most had never studied for or taken a final or mid-term.
This moment made me question whether the curriculum at Catlin Gabel School (CGS) truly prepares students for college. As a school that prides itself on being “Niche’s #1 college prep school in Oregon,” there seems to be a disconnect between its curriculum and goals. However, I believe this issue is part of a much more systemic problem rather than merely skipping finals and midterms: a progressive education system.
After four years at CGS, I was uncertain about what a “progressive education” truly was and how it differed from a more traditional approach. To clarify, I visited the CGS website, which mentioned four pillars of progressive education: educating for democracy, inquiry-based learning, teaching the whole child, and experiential learning. These pillars are quite broad, and I struggled to see how CGS implemented them, so I interviewed John Harnetiaux, the CGS Upper School Dean of Students.
I asked Harnetiaux what it really means to educate the whole child, what educating for democracy entails, and how these values are implemented in CGS classrooms. He explained that educating the whole child is based on the belief that each student is a complex individual, which challenges teachers to integrate all aspects of a student's identity into their classroom work. Practically, teachers accomplish this by encouraging students to share aspects of their lives outside the classroom, allowing them to accommodate each student's needs better.
On the other hand, educating for democracy is a more complex issue. When I inquired about the meaning of educating for democracy, Harnetiaux replied that CGS is currently “in a place where we’re trying to figure that out.” He further elaborated that for him, educating for democracy involves helping students hold competing ideas while still functioning effectively in a community.
At this point, my skepticism about CGS' progressive education system grew. In my view, a pillar should represent a steadfast set of values or practices that guide an institution, and according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a pillar is “a fundamental precept.” So I questioned how undefined pillars can guide CGS and whether this impacts students' education.
However, I am more interested in the actual impact of progressive education principles within CGS curricula. From my interview with Harnetiaux and insights from the Progressive Education Network website, I learned that progressive education generally de-emphasizes grades, tests, and competition in favor of student advocacy and collaboration. Progressive schools aim to amplify their students' voices and empower them to become active members of a democratic society.
While I appreciate the vision of a progressive education, this approach fails to recognize that students will ultimately face competition, standardized tests, grades, and harsh criticism in college and their careers. Allowing students to develop effective study habits, compete for top-class rankings, and engage with constructive criticism in high school undoubtedly prepares them better for college.
Ample research indicates that studying—especially memorization —is a skill that requires practice and application. Most high schools provide this opportunity through cumulative exams or Advanced Placement (AP) tests. Research suggests that studying for finals and AP exams in high school directly correlates with students' success in college.
In fact, according to College Board data, students who take AP classes perform significantly better than their peers in college and achieve notably higher timely graduation rates. However, in my conversation with Harnetiaux, I learned that CGS does not promote AP tests because they do not align with the progressive education model.
The reasoning behind CGS' no AP stance is clear: the emphasis on achieving high scores in AP courses can compromise students' ability to learn for the sake of genuine understanding. Harnetiaux expressed his opinion that APs “kind of can take some of the exciting pieces around learning out and make it more achievement-oriented.” He acknowledges that this perspective isn't meant to be dismissive, as many students find value in the opportunity to take AP tests.
Furthermore, AP curriculums restrict teachers from designing their own lessons since they are required to teach to a standardized test. This contradicts CGS teachers' ability to create their own classes and curriculums, which many CGS teachers appreciate.
While I agree that pursuing knowledge solely to obtain a good AP score may not feel particularly fulfilling, as a senior, I have invested four years prioritizing good grades, which is an effort that parallels the objectives of AP courses. Many CGS students are very dedicated to maintaining high GPAs, often prioritizing their grades over the learning process itself.
However, the advantages of AP exams extend far beyond getting a high score. They can play a crucial role in fulfilling core college requirements and enhancing students' profiles during the admissions process, particularly for those looking to study abroad.
A recent CGS alumna, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “I think that AP classes would have been a huge benefit because students who come with credits can register for classes earlier and also graduate earlier.” She further noted, “I didn’t really feel like I was on track with my credits until I went abroad and got summer credits.”
By bypassing core classes through AP coursework, students can explore opportunities to double major, graduate early, or engage in courses that genuinely interest them. On many college campuses, securing preferred classes can be challenging due to the high popularity of these classes; therefore, lacking AP scores can further restrict students’ options.
I asked Harnetiaux if the CGS administration would consider adding some AP classes to the curriculum. He acknowledged that “you don’t want students going to college and wasting their time in rudimentary classes that they’ve already taken here.” However, he continued, “the decision [to offer APs] would be pretty impactful…it would be a pretty big cultural shift.”
“[It]is just a matter of whether or not the implementation of it would align with our values as an institution, and that currently doesn't,” said Harnetiaux. Thus, he believes APs are probably not a good fit for CGS education.
While I personally disagree with not offering AP classes, I still think CGS has the opportunity to offer similar scenarios through cumulative exams. Final and midterm exams are common across U.S. high schools, meaning most freshmen in college have already practiced taking them. So by not offering these tests, CGS students enter college at a disadvantage compared to the majority of their peers.
Another alumna, who asked to remain anonymous, recalled that during her first semester in college, she felt overwhelmed and unprepared for her mid-term exams. She remarked that she “had never taken high-stakes tests before because at CGS there were always re-takes.” She struggled to adjust to studying for multiple high-stakes exams simultaneously, which was a completely new experience for her.
The first alumna echoed this statement: "I hadn’t practiced many large-scale testing strategies at Catlin and kind of felt like I had to catch up. I wasn’t able to find our study techniques for finals that worked for me until the end of last year when I had some practice…Having so much of my grade determined by just a few exams was a huge shift in mentality.”
In my opinion, these stories highlight a significant disconnect between CGS’s stance as the best college prep school and Oregon and its curriculum. Students from the top college prep school in Oregon should not be taking their first cumulative exam at the age of 18 as freshmen in college. They should be given ample opportunities to practice for high-stakes exams to develop effective study habits.
Furthermore, I believe that AP courses should be offered at CGS. This would increase the competitiveness of CGS seniors' college applications, especially for international schools, and ensure they have enough credits to succeed in college.
Although AP courses and cumulative exams may not fully align with CGS’s educational philosophy, they would undeniably better equip students for college. I hope the CGS faculty and administration prioritize the future success of their students over an imperfect progressive education model. While I recognize that tests and memorization can be intimidating, it is far better to address these challenges in high school—where learning from failure is accepted—than in college, where the consequences can be much more severe.