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Math is a poor example precisely because it requires a definite sequence of courses. Many high schools label freshman biology “AP Biology”; sophomore chemistry is “AP Chemistry”; and junior physics is “AP Physics”. In many high schools, those wouldn’t be AP courses; the senior course would be AP Bio/Chem/Physics. </p>
<p>Now, schools who do the former are those that can say that their kids usually take four AP science courses by graduation. The only thing showing that it’s a total crock is the low scores that students receive on the tests.</p>
<p>Some high schools now have half of their students in “honours” courses. Low grades on an AP might be the only thing that shows that students are just getting a fancy label slapped on a bad education, or mediocre students are getting the same credentials that were once reserved for great students.</p>