This article strongly highlights the struggles and confusion of many QUEST students, especially regarding AP classes and graduation requirements. Through interviews with students and counselors, Garcia does a good job at captivating the common opinions on QUEST. Being a fellow student in the QUEST pathways, this article is something I can strongly relate to. I, like many students, chose the QUEST pathway because it was highly recommended to me due to my middle school grades, but I didn’t realize the limited options I had. Although QUEST is a great educational and college preparatory pathway, it was very confusing to understand the difference between my medallion requirements compared to my graduation requirements. I do enjoy the classes that QUEST offers, but like many that were interviewed in Garcia’s article, I wasn’t extremely happy with the few “required” APs I had to take, such as AP histories. History is one of my least favorite subjects and to find out that i had to take the AP version, rather than an AP science or math instead of history, was disappointing. That being said, through Arianna’s perspective as well as those that she interviewed, the reader can gain a clear view on what its like going through QUEST.

This article does an excellent job of highlighting very important and common issues shared amongst QUEST students at Millikan. I, along with many other students in QUEST, have found myself asking these same questions addressed in the article. Because of this, I share concerns with the author, because it is important that QUEST students know what they’re signing up for. Information about QUEST doesn’t seem all that accessible to most students at Millikan and it’s not clear why many of our requirements are relevant. However, I see why Ms. Barragan says that there is something to be said about a challenge for students. Although I agree that preferences are important and should be considered in the course-selection process, I also believe any student in QUEST is capable of completing the requirements for the pathway’s medallion. Maybe a solution to the issue is creating a QUEST Q&A page on our website or holding a sort of panel for incoming (or current) students to ask upperclassmen questions about what QUEST really entails.
Overall, the author did an amazing job of giving a voice to a broad range of characters at Millikan and was able to relate to many students in the pathway.

The author did an excellent job providing background information on Millikan’s AP courses and developing an argument regarding them. The author discusses how many students were confused as to whether completing five AP courses is a requirement to graduate in Quest, making students feel that they must take numerous APs.
This article brings up numerous good points, and spreads awareness on an important topic. I agree that students should know and consider all their options instead of feeling pressured to take APs that they may or may not even need. AP courses are rigorous, require time and energy, and come with an AP test in order to receive college credit. Students should take an AP that aligns with their interests, not to fill a perceived requirement, so it is pivotal that this confusion is cleared up. Especially now as the year progresses, many students feel tired and overworked. It is likely that confusion regarding how many AP courses to take may be part of the reason.

In this article, Garcia dives into the QUEST pathway here at Millikan and explains some of the uncertainties and questions that the students have been facing. Students from all grades, she explains, are not completely aware of the “required” classes they have to take when enrolling into the QUEST pathway. Garcia does a really good job of informing and explaining a really important matter that I’m sure a lot of people, including me, had not given much thought into before. Prior to reading this article and since being in high school, I believed that the minimum of 5 required AP classes were pre-determined and if I wanted, there are additional classes I could enroll into. That was the only information that I and many of the other QUEST students were given. This is what, I believe, inspired the writing of this article. I liked the use of various sources from both students and our counselor who is the most knowledgeable in this field. I think that the lack of information expressed in this article could be hurting many of the students. Such as was said by Garcia, some students might not feel like they are ready to take the rigorous courses that AP has to offer. However, some students may feel that a class is simply not one that they wish to pursue in the future and being aware that there may be alternatives would be very helpful. They may wish to enroll in an AP class that is more aligned with their future careers and goals. Overall, I think that Garcia did a great job at bringing a very important subject to light and explaining it very precisely.

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. I found that the points made were very accurate! As a quest kid myself, there is a huge pressure for us to take them even though I knew that APs weren’t required to graduate. Besides not being in the same classes as your peers, APs are sold as the best and only option for people serious about their education. However, I would argue that having too many will only harm our learning. For this reason I am really happy to see someone talking about the alternatives and truths around these AP classes. I would have loved to see some teacher opinions along with Mrs. Barrigan’s as I can’t imagine that teaching an AP class is any more enjoyable for the teachers. Also, I think the tests themselves are worth mentioning as they add a lot of pressure to QUEST kids. We get less time to prepare than other districts, those weeks are a nightmare for students, and then we have lots of time left over in the year with nothing to learn. I especially loved the focus in this article on the miscommunication about the APs being “required”. Overall, I think this was a great article and I was really happy to see someone talking about how difficult our courses can be, even as highly driven students.

Dear Corydon Editor,

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of Quest”. The article expresses her concern on the rigorous course of the Quest pathway at millikan as she explains how every other pathway is only required to take one AP class whereas Quest students are required to take five AP courses in order to meet the graduation requirements. She believes that many students should be given an option on whether or not they want to take a more challenging AP course or a more standard class. Through interviews with many students she finds their beliefs are strongly related to hers such as an interview with Owen Waytas where he recognizes that Quest students only have the option to take an AP history class during their sophomore, junior, and senior years. She also interviews the counselor Ms. Barragan explains why she thinks Quest students should be required to take more AP courses as they will help prepare them more for college. Although Garcia does a great job finding Quest students discomforts in taking more AP’s than other pathways she never answers her question on whether or not it is required to take 5 AP’s to graduate. She reaches out for help and tries to find the answer but she never gets a clear answer on if it is required or not. I think this is a great article as a fellow Quest student because it is so relatable and I also find the struggle in being challenged with a rigorous course and having to do much more than any other pathway.

Sincerely,

Caden Bui

As a student in quest myself, I was inclined to read this opinion piece. Being a Junior, I have already gone through the quest classes of my freshman and sophomore year, and I am half way done with my junior year classes. Being honest, I would not label myself the typical quest student people imagine when they think of quest. I strive for good grades but I don’t do much to actually achieve them. I have a lot of last minute assignments due to procrastination, but I think it’s because I have no aspiration to be in some of my classes. In fact, I feel like I didn’t have many options when choosing classes for this year and even next year’s senior classes. I do hope there are some changes because I do think it is a great program to be in, but it brings a lot of stress on students with the choosing of classes and the amount of APs taken which was highlighted perfectly in this article. Reading this piece, I got all the information I expected and some more. The only thing that I thought was missing was maybe someone who had found an alternative to taking the stressful amount of AP classes. Other than that it was a great, well-written article.

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. In the article, Garcia discusses the inadequate answers for the many questions that QUEST students have, specifically about the AP courses. AP courses, as Garcia describes, college level courses that offer students opportunities to earn college credit with a fragment of the fee. Unlike other pathways at Millikan, QUEST students are required to take five AP courses in order to earn their pathway medallion, but students are wondering if the five AP courses are required to graduate. Garcia provides the reader with credible sources (students in QUEST from multiple grade levels). Her topic is interesting and her writing is engaging, using rhetorical questions to get her point across. This informative article can bring awareness to the questions that many QUEST students may be too afraid to ask. For example, I was unaware that the AP courses were required in order to earn the QUEST medallion, not to actually graduate. Coming into high school, I didn’t even know what AP courses were, let alone know that QUEST required their students to take five of them. This article did a great job at informing QUEST students about the AP courses and what is truly necessary.

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled, “The Burden of QUEST.” This article does a good job of giving insight into the minds of QUEST students thought process when it comes to picking and taking their rigorous classes. In the article, Garcia interviews 3 different QUEST students, a freshman, a sophomore, and a junior. This is a great way to do this because you are getting the point of view of what is basically 3 completely different QUEST students.
I like the way this article is formatted, but I would also like if there was more of a balanced focus of all of the hardships of QUEST rather than just focusing on the fact that we have to take 5 AP classes. Stuff like higher expectations from teachers, parents, etc. is something else that could’ve been talked about in this article, as I have heard from teachers sentences such as; “You guys are my QUEST class, you guys are smarter than this.”
Outside of that, this article highlights a good amount of things about QUEST that maybe the people outside of QUEST might not know. A lot of people in other pathways don’t worry about taking a certain amount of AP classes or even think about dual enrollment. The interview of Ms. Barragan give some QUEST students something to think about as well. If you are already in QUEST, you are most likely wanting to go to college and be successful, so some AP classes should be required. Although I do agree with that statement, I believe that if they are required, then students who do not feel ready for the class a month in should be able to transfer out as well, which is something that the school does not allow that long after a semester starts. Overall, I think this article highlights some stuff about QUEST that is a burden on a lot of the students lives.

This article caught my attention immediately. I am also a Questie and I completely understand as well as resonate with this title. The “requirements” of this pathway really scared me as a freshman. I didn’t know what to do other than go with the flow. The editor of this article caught this situation a lot from the interviews with other students. They also asked good rhetorical questions near the end such as, “What is dual enrollment?” I didn’t know this was an option at all until I heard my friends doing it and I’m a junior now. Reading this article really opened my eyes. I am also questioning this pathway now, are we really required to do 5 AP classes to graduate? Comparing this with my non-quest friends’ requirements, it dawned on me how much quest kids are forced to do. It’s not harder than other pathways, but it is more demanding and controlling. I also feel like information is hard to get. They briefly go over the pathway requirements during orientation and that’s it. This article really does go deep with quest kids, it understands what I think the majority of the students are feeling. I enjoyed reading this article. Thank you for making it.
Sincerely,
Vickie Lam

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. In this article, Garcia gives a detailed description of the AP classes offered at Millikan and the requirements for a QUEST medallion worn at graduation. This article is very well written, and I like how she used provable facts as well as student opinions to help support her claim. I also like the use of questions, as they are some I’ve asked myself and I know others are wondering too. The use of quotes from Mrs. Barragan was a nice addition as well, seeing as though she is probably one of the most knowledgeable people on the matter. It was interesting to see that she believed it was completely fine to require these courses for QUEST students, and help shed light on a different side of the argument. The only thing that I think should be added to this article is a quote from either a QUEST student that was able to choose a non-AP history, english, etc. class or a student who dropped out of an AP and decided to take a regular curriculum class. I think the addition of a quote from a student like that would help convince the audience of the argument and give insight on their decision and the aftermath. Otherwise, this article was very well written and enjoyable to read.

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. This article was focused on the Millikan QUEST Pathway and the struggle it is for students to face the tough classes that are required for them. Garcia focuses on getting input from different people around the QUEST community. She interviewed sophomores and junior students, along with the 10-12th grade counselor, Ms. Barragan. The students expressed the concern over being forced into a vigorous class they don’t feel prepared to take and lacking information on what they are being put into. The article explained the use of AP courses and the requirements with these classes for the QUEST Pathway. Students are forced to take a minimum of 5 AP courses to receive the QUEST medallion on graduation, most students were informed they needed to take these classes to graduate. This confusion is what drove Garcia to explain the lack of information being easily accessible for students today looking to enter this pathway.
The use of quotes from the students helped to give the audience extra insight to what burdens these students and what they feel is the best approach for the pathway. I feel that the article could be more effective with a senior perspective over how much pressure they faced over the years. However, the use of the quote from Ms. Barragan is very helpful as she too was a student but is now here to help the students succeed and has seen it is very possible to complete the required courses with a passing grade. I enjoyed the use of different perspectives and as a QUEST student felt empathy for the students’ adversity.

February 13, 2024

Dear Corydon Editor,

On January 29, 2024 Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of Quest”. Ariana wrote this article very well, especially when addressing the confusions Quest students have been having regarding taking AP classes. Many people were interviewed and of all the responses given, almost every student seemed to be confused about whether or not they need these AP courses to graduate. It discusses how within the Quest pathway, throughout 10,11, & 12th grade, you don’t have an option to not take an AP course since it is “installed” into our pathway. I believe that this is both fair and not. Mrs. Barragan, who is the Quest counselor, states that she believes it’s not an issue to have these courses since it will better prepare students for a college like environment class. Although I also agree with why some students believe we should have an option to take a non-AP class. Many students tend to achieve and want to do good in their classes. Although if they believe they won’t succeed or do well in a class, maybe they should have the option to take an alternative class instead. So that way, they can still meet their academic goals and feel achieved when doing so.

Sincerely,

Emma Buth

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of Quest”. This is a well-written article that effectively communicates the struggles involved with being a Quest student at Millikan High School. The article explains how many Quest students feel as though they do not properly understand all the options available to them when selecting new classes. It was a good idea to put a picture of the course selection form as a hook because it shows AP English Language and AP US History as the only options. Additionally, interviewing different Quest students helps demonstrate a widespread feeling of uncertainty among other Quest students.
Personally, I agree that some Quest students may not be aware of their potential options in selecting courses, however, many if not all students read what the Quest pathway would include when they chose their pathway. I agree that there should be more information on available options however students also need to make sure they understand what they are signing up for when they select a pathway.
Furthermore, I agree with the opinion that students should not be stripped of their gold robe for taking advanced courses. This aspect of the gold robe has never made sense to me, hypothetically, a student with a 4.3 GPA and one B would not get a gold robe however a student who took no, or very few AP courses could end up with all A’s and get a gold robe. I believe that this system is harmful, as AP students will not only be more stressed, but they will also be more inclined to not take challenging courses due to fear of losing their robe. I think gold robes should be awarded based on GPA because students taking AP classes are effectively punished for challenging themselves with college-level courses.

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. Garcia dives into the Advanced Placement courses that Millikan offers, over 20, and goes over the requirements of each pathway here at Millikan. As a student who has taken several AP courses, I have also had the misconception that all of these AP courses are required in order to graduate. I am a QUEST student and I have found it challenging to try and work around my schedule because of the “required” classes that we have to take. I often think about how we do not exactly have the option to take regular courses. Although, there are ways to work around taking an AP course over the course of the school year. Dual Enrollment is an option for students who do not want to take an AP course over the entirety of the school year. Going into the QUEST pathway freshman year, I knew it was going to be a lot of work but I was ready for the challenge.
Garcia does a good job explaining the different viewpoints on the QUEST pathway and how it differs from the other pathways here at Millikan. There are many unanswered questions as to what the alternatives are for AP courses. Many people are unaware of Dual Enrollment and are not sure how to sign up for these classes. Garcia talked to several Millikan QUEST students and received their feedback on AP classes. QUEST students often feel pressure to take these AP courses because they are “required”, but in reality we have the option to take regular courses.

I personally really liked this article as it is very descriptive when it comes to the selection for the upcoming school year. Garcia did a very good job when it came to getting opinions from QUEST students from the three different grade levels that are going to be choosing their classes. I can relate to this article as I had at first thought and questioned the “minimum of five AP classes.” This seemed like it was going to be difficult, as there were going to be a minimum of five and I believed that we needed it to graduate. This is no longer a concern as I have taken/ am taking a total of 8, but I do believe that there should be some clarification on what it means when it comes to a minimum of five AP classes. This article was very well written and gives a lot of details and information about the situation QUEST students are going to be put through, while giving some ideas, such as dual enrollment.

On January 29, 2025, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. This article explains the confusion that lots of QUEST students experience when figuring out what classes to take. QUEST can be seen as an advanced program as Garcia explained that it is the only pathway at Millikan that requires students to take multiple AP classes in order to receive the medallion at graduation. So, lots of students assume that being a part of this program means it is mandatory to take at least 5 AP classes in order to graduate high school.
Garcia explains that lots of students aren’t aware that you don’t have to take these classes in order to graduate, but only in order to receive the QUEST medallion. I think Millikan should make students more aware of what these requirements mean so that students can take classes that they really think would benefit them. Students that Garcia interviewed explained that they didn’t even know there were other options for non advanced placement classes because the only options on the QUEST class registration form were AP. Some students explained that they think they would benefit more from non AP classes because it moves more at their pace.
The confusion that these QUEST students are experiencing when choosing classes seems to be very common. I agree with Garcia and can say that I have been confused myself on what the difference is between requirements for QUEST and requirements for graduation. I think that some AP classes should be required for the program as it gives students a push to work harder and it sets QUEST apart from other programs. But, I also think that it is really important for students to be made more aware of the real requirements for graduation so they have the flexibility to choose what is best for them.

Garcia’s article is an opinion piece that gathers multiple perspectives on the course selection process for Millikan’s Quest pathway. The author effectively informs her audience on the course selection process by explaining the use of the word “requirement” when selecting classes as well as using images to ensure clarity for the reader. Throughout the article, the reader is informed on the decisions Quest students have to make- or lack there of. Garcia provides opinions from both staff and students in order to establish a clear argument. The arguments of students in multiple grade levels support her idea that many Quest students are confused on the idea of pathway requirements versus graduation requirements, and feel restricted when it comes to selecting their courses for the next year. Garcia urges staff at Millikan to add ease to the process by clarifying the requirements and what they mean, as well as offer flexibility to those who do not desire to take an incredibly rigorous/AP course. She even provides a counterargument from the counselor to eliminate bias and include various perspectives. Overall, Garcia’s opinion article effectively gets her point across while using evidence from credible sources to support her argument.

Dear Corydon Editor,

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. The article talks about the rigor of being in QUEST and how that affects students. While I agree with the argument that students should have a choice between taking an AP or regular course, I also believe that it would be beneficial to acknowledge the fact that it was our responsibility as students to have researched QUEST and its requirements prior to selecting it in 8th grade. Students should have asked themselves the question of “Can I handle the rigor of QUEST? Or should I choose another pathway?”. After all, QUEST was created to prepare students for college, hence the college level courses that must be taken. This would provide another strong counter argument that would compliment Mrs. Barragan’s statement about the benefits of taking AP classes. However, I did agree with the fact that it should be more thoroughly explained whether or not it is absolutely necessary for students to take 5 APs or if they can transfer into regular history courses.

Sincerely,

Caroline Klein

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of Quest”. She starts with a description and understanding of what AP courses are and how they help later in college. But then she expands on what is labeled in the Quest pathway as a “requirement” and the choices. Although we can view this as a relatively good question, simplifying “requirement” would be better when referred to as “options” or allowed classes due to what is known when those who do take any form of school are mandated to take English, Math, History, and sometimes Science. But there is also the straightforward fact that the Quest pathway is meant to be rigorous and test yourself in teamwork and individually. However, I love that you included students from one grade level and the counselor in charge of the courses and students, as I believe it gives a great outside perspective. A perspective from a senior would have been a bonus due to their last year in the pathway and their outlook on it all, plus the class they are taking now. Along with a possible question such as “If there was an available class that did not have to be AP, such as US History, would you have taken the AP version?” Likewise, you did get a good answer out of Ms. Barragan on her perspective and how over the years it has changed. But in the end, I love how you ended on a bussel of questions that I hope can be answered in the future and spread the awareness of “required” classes and why.

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”.
I like how the author explains in detail exactly what the Quest pathway is and what the issues students in it are facing right now. I wonder if maybe the article could have been slightly longer and maybe have featured a few more opinions from some various students. Though I think the few opinions she did have were very well done and academic.

I very much enjoyed how the entire article is written very well and in a very scholarly manner. The language and grammar is totally cohesive and flows very well. One thing I would fix however is the introductory paragraph, as I feel it is slightly lacking in interest. I would make that first paragraph a little shorter and a little less heavy. The information within it is still very critical though, so I would just move it to maybe the next paragraph.
I also admire how the final paragraph brought a fitting conclusion to the entirety of her argument. It gives credence to the fact that QUEST is as rigorous as it is, but it also summarizes her issues with the current situation. There isn’t really anything I would change or add to this final paragraph, as I think it serves its purpose well.
Overall I think this article is very well written, and accomplishes all it sets out to do.

On January 29, 2024, Arianna Garcia wrote an article titled “The Burden of QUEST”. I like how you broke down what the AP courses are, what the benefits are, and all the other information. The article was also insightful because I did not know that the AP courses were available to all students. Bringing in the perspectives of other students who are in QUEST adds on well to the article and really helps combat the feeling of being alone. At the end of the article the calling for action is very well written and makes sense. I like how you included yourself in being unsure where to find the information. This adds a sense of closeness between the reader and writer because of sharing the same struggle. In all this was a great article to read and it was very informative, insightful, and helpful not just to me but for all students reading the article, “The Burden of QUEST”.