Finding the best way to get college credit in high school may seem daunting. Many students preparing for college know the stress of choosing whether to take AP classes or do Running Start, but which one is better? The workloads for AP classes vs Running Start classes are similarly rigorous, but ultimately it depends on the amount of AP classes and dual enrollment you take.
For AP students, the stress seems never ending. The constant load of notes, assignments, and studying for tests makes it easy to fall behind and spend late nights cramming. Arguably, some AP classes are at different difficulty levels than others. As someone who has taken AP classes, I can confirm that some are easier to get an A in than others. At the end of the day, the more rigorous classes prepared me more for the exams. With exams coming up in May, AP students are grinding endlessly to prepare, and if you don’t get a 3 or higher, you won’t get college credit, which means the money you spent was pretty much wasted. Some colleges prefer this type of credit, and more selective schools like seeing AP classes on students’ resumes. Students are still able to have more in person interactions with peers, and be in person for school.
With Running Start, students experience actual college and are able to complete courses online at their own pace. This allows students to sleep in and stay home, while also getting college credit. Dual enrollment is also cheaper than taking an AP course compared to someone paying the exam fee, which is pretty expensive. Running Start students only have to pass the class to obtain credit, not just a final exam like an AP course. The classes are self paced, which is great for some students, but for others, makes it easier to fall behind. Without time management, falling behind can be hard to catch up on. Another con is that there is less time that students are able to have interactions in person, which means students doing classes online have less interaction with their peers and teachers during the day.
Kendra Harris, senior, does Running Start part time. “Depending on how many classes you take, you see less of your friends at school”, said Harris, “Sometimes it can cause people to feel disconnected and sometimes we miss things because we aren’t there for announcements.”
Personally, despite the pros and cons of both, I still prefer AP classes. Although the rigor is especially challenging, the assignments and preparation for exams in most of the classes make me feel prepared for college, while still being in person for a regular time at school. Taking AP classes teaches good time management and study skills for important exams, which are important life skills. When basing the judgment on which is better, it ultimately depends on your personal strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning. Whether you prefer taking Running Start classes or AP classes, there are pros and cons to both and the answer depends on the student.
