The high school is one of the most well-funded public schools in the nation. Despite this privilege, income inequality, though not visible at first glance, is still a very prominent issue.
According to a 2023 New York Times article, nearly one in six students at elite colleges come from families in the top 1 percent of income earners. This shows how deeply wealth is rooted in the opportunities of acquiring higher education.
Here at the high school, these inequities surface through academic outcomes, especially in standardized testing. Data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shows that low-income students in our school score approximately 120 points lower on the SAT than the average student at the high school.
Low income students fall behind not because they are less smart or motivated, but because they don’t have access to the same resources. Many times, these differences are explained as a lack of effort, when in reality they stem from unequal access to opportunities and resources.
One major issue is that the high school does not offer as many AP classes as many other high schools across America traditionally does. AP classes such as AP Lit, AP Lang, AP World History and AP European History aren’t offered here, even though they are common at other schools. In 2021, AP Lit and AP Lang were among the most widely offered AP courses in the country, ranking especially high among humanities courses and the top three overall for all AP offered.
Because of this, students who want to take these exams are forced to self-study, either to strengthen their college application or to earn AP credit. While this might seem fair on the surface, it really is not. Self-studying for an AP class is much easier when you can afford tutors, prep books and outside programs, all of which give higher-income students a huge advantage.
Additionally, the lack of AP classes has reverberating effects beyond student transcripts. There are many AP exams that are offered at other schools, such as AP Lit and AP Lang, which directly help students prepare for the SAT due to the many overlapping skills both require. Students who enroll in these AP classes receive early exposure to harder material and timed testing, while students without access miss out on that opportunity. This means that students with more resources are better equipped and prepared for further standardized tests.
Furthermore, AP credit also plays a huge role in college affordability. Many colleges allow students to use AP scores as a way to earn college credit, which speeds up graduation. For lower-income students, this can significantly lower tuition costs. In many cases, the ability to transfer AP credit can be the deciding factor in whether a student can afford to attend college at all. Hence, when students do not have equal access to AP classes or materials to prepare for AP tests, they are also losing out on opportunities to make college more financially accessible.
During college admissions, not everyone starts with the same chances. At the high school, students of lower income can build stronger applications and earn higher test scores.
Understandably, the high school may not be able to add every AP class due to the strict curriculum and qualified teachers that AP requires. However, if the high school truly wants to promote fairness, it needs to provide better support to students who are forced to self-study and continue making it accessible to all. While the high school does offer some after-school prep sessions, these supports are still limited and not equally accessible to all students. Students and others with jobs may find it hard to attend these after-school sessions consistently throughout the entire year. To make support truly accessible to everyone, the school should include pre-recorded lectures and free review sessions, which are more flexible for students with busy schedules. Without stronger, more accessible support, the gaps between students by income level will continue to widen.
