The College Board recently released a new academic program called AP Capstone, a program encompasses two courses, AP Research and AP Seminar, both of which focus on self-paced, career-specific research. Frisco ISD has announced that they will adopt this course for the upcoming academic year in hopes of providing students an avenue for analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing research.

This announcement has evoked responses from students and faculty members whom have compared the new courses to currently available Independent Study and Mentorship (ISM) program. However, in comparison to Capstone, ISM includes an extensive mentorship component in addition to student research. In ISM, students do take time to thoroughly research their chosen fields but they are also given the capability to explore such fields by interacting with real career professionals. Despite College Board’s efforts to bring a new, original course to campus, Capstone, though unconventional, seems way too derivative of ISM to provide anything truly new. Put simply, Capstone is the IS without the M.

Of course, some students may prefer to opt out of ISM in fear of its interpersonal requirements such as speeches, networking, and various showcases throughout the year. To these students, exclusively learning through research may appear attractive. However, by choosing Capstone, these same students maintain the limitations of a normal classroom environment. With ISM, the world is your classroom. Children’s Medical Center is your classroom. The WFAA Headquarters is your classroom. The Dallas Zoo is your classroom.

While College Board may argue that AP Capstone’s research course may be marginally better that of ISM, the latter brings an entirely new dimension of learning. Instead of spending hours reading secondary sources, you can become the one conducting primary research. Of course, AP Capstone prepares you for college research, but ISM does so as well with a greater longevity that will set you up for your career long before you even commit to a university.

Students still leaning towards taking AP Capstone instead of ISM, should go with their gut. The decisions is a personal one and nothing I say can truly make that decision for you. But understand that, after all the people I’ve met and all the hands I’ve shaken, when your AP Capstone course ends in June, the professional network I have developed will continue to benefit me for many years to come at college, at internships, and throughout my professional career.