To the editor:

An April 24 Journal-World article, “Value of AP classes doubted,” questioned the value of advanced placement. I have just published a dissertation strongly supporting AP.

In a study of 4,975 Kansas University freshmen:

¢ AP students’ academic ability (high school GPA and ACT scores) was significantly higher than that of students who took dual credit college classes and regular students who completed no college credit in high school.

¢The AP group achieved higher grades in 102-level college courses than dual credit or regular student groups.

¢ Even when statistically controlled for their higher level of academic ability, the AP group achieved statistically the same grades in 102-level classes as the regular students, and slightly higher grades than the dual credit students.

Seventeen 102-level courses taken by students with AP or dual credit prerequisite credit were studied. Nineteen percent of students (4 percent AP, 15 percent dual credit) earned college credit in high school that allowed them to skip the 101-level prerequisite at KU. Thus, 350 freshmen didn’t need to take English 101 each fall. Similarly, about 80 freshmen each fall didn’t need to take Calculus 115.

At KU at least, AP students are doing at least as well as other students and are meeting or exceeding the high academic expectations placed on them. Additionally, both AP and dual credit students are saving on tuition and saving taxpayers’ money by accelerating their college education while challenging themselves to excel in high school.

Jeffrey H. Richards,

Lawrence