The College Board is launching a program that will expand Advanced Placement classes to 200 high schools across California. The goal of the California AP Potential Expansion (CAPE) is to offer these more challenging courses to low-income and underserved students. The CAPE initiative is a positive program because it provides the opportunity for more young students to challenge themselves in the classroom and earn credits while in high school.

With unaffordable tuition and competitive rates just to get into college, CAPE will provide a boost that many students will benefit from. If the program goes well in the California high schools, the College Board plans to possibly spread the initiative to other states. The College Board will be evaluating the program in 2015. This initiative is worth supporting, as it offers students an option to earn affordable college credits and push themselves before college.

Many students have the potential to succeed in AP courses but aren’t given the chance by their high school because of financial reasons. With the cost of tuition constantly rising, we must create and support more options for young students to succeed.

AP courses in high school allow students to take difficult classes and prepare for college, but at the same time, students don’t have to disrupt their high school experience and can interact with friends their own age. Often, teachers are able to help students more in AP classes because of the smaller size, compared to taking a large lecture at a college if one is taking a PSEO course.

Hopefully CAPE will succeed in California and spread to other states across the nation, helping young students move forward with their education.