Patch Facts

Five Things: Debunking College Enrollment Myths, Meetings and More

A quick look at what you need to see, do and know on Jan. 29 in Lexington.

1. AP Courses and Other Myths about What Colleges Really Want: At 7 p.m. tonight at Cary Hall in Lexington, Admissions officers from five Massachusetts universities will tackle the stress over getting into college and talk about what they’re really seeking. 2. Today in Public Meetings: According to the town website, public meetings posted for today include the Capital Expenditures Committee at 8 a.m. at the Town Office Building, the Sustainable Lexington Committee at 7 p.m. at Cary Hall and the Conservation Commission at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Office Building. 3. National Puzzle Day Celebration! Over at the Discovery Museums, located at 177 Main St. in Acton, they're celebrating National Puzzle Day with with a potpourri of puzzles at 10 a.m…

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TELL US: AP Classes, Can There Be Too Much of a Good Thing?

Do stacked schedules and a half-dozen exams offer an easy road to the elite institutions, or is that a recipe for student stress?

If you read the Globe, then chances are you’ve heard the story of Claire Huang, the Lexington High senior who could graduate next spring with perfect scores on 10 advanced placement exams. The plan, Huang told the Globe, is for her AP classes to provide an edge as she when it comes to earning admittance in an elite college or university. And if you live in Lexington, or any of a number of leafy suburbs outside Boston, then chances are that if you don’t know Claire, you know probably know six students like her. While many high performing school districts like Lexington have opted out of the Race to the Top federal education initiative, many students in towns like this are stacking their schedules in their own race to the top – of their …

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Dennis O'Donnell

10:06 am on Wednesday, October 10, 2012

I believe that's mainly my job, not the schools. And yes, I'm assuming that the option to take as many AP classes/tests is a good thing. Options are a good thing. Those kids who are cramming in AP classes have the choice to not take them. And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't let my kids take as many as they could. But if my wife and I thought our kids could handle it, and the kid wanted to take a shot …   more ›