NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
One month into a new grading system for advanced placement classes, Metro-Nashville public students are starting to see advantages to taking the tougher courses.
"Taking harder classes is not necessarily a bad thing since it does give you that extra boost, even if you are going to get a B-rather than an A," said Overton High Senior Nick Hensley just before he was about to take an advanced calculus quiz.
That extra boost from advanced placement can mean things such as better scores on college placement tests or better performance in college or even college credit.
Despite the advantages to taking the more challenging courses some students and their parents worried grades suffer in the harder courses.
With those concerns in mind, Metro schools year decided to change the grading system for advanced placement classes into a five point system instead of the tradition four-point classification for regular classes this year.
"The idea is to reward those students taking the AP classes and give them a little higher grade point average and give them a little higher grade point average," explained Overton English teacher Nita Harville.
Hensley, who plans to attend Purdue University, told Nashville's News 2 the new grading system that gives more weight to advanced classes is being recognized by his fellow students who once might have avoided the tougher course work.
"The weighted GPA [grade point average] thing does really help them to do that because it's kind of a momentum boost to do it," he said.
Overton's principal added he hopes the new grading system will help take the fear out of the tougher advanced placement classes.
