Salutatorian makes AP classes pay off for college

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Updated: March 3, 2012 8:34AM

Kim Hagen, who is class salutatorian this year, has done so well in her Advanced Placement classes at Elmwood Park High School that she has one semester of college classes already completed.

That’s one less semester of college coursework she will have to pay for.

It also makes it easier for Hagen to get in the college of her choice. She plans to go to University of Illinois next fall and major in engineering, but has applied to other colleges.

She said there is a difference in AP classes.

“You read the books on your own,” Hagen said. “There’s no hand holding.”

Her mother, Kerrie, favors raising the grade point average scale.

“If they are taking more higher level classes and more homework home, you should be rewarded with a higher GPA (grade point average),” she said.

Elmwood Park High School Principal Jim Jennings said students like Kim Hagen are taking on the tough courses to prepare themselves for college level work.

“They are taking some core academics and that’s what is setting them apart,” he said. “Colleges are looking for kids who are challenging themselves.”

Jennings compares the more rigorous coursework that they receive taking AP courses to running a race. “You don’t walk up to a marathon without training,” he said.

Mark Hagen, Kim’s father, said her daughter as well as their two other children have been raised to seek out and conquer challenges, especially in school.

“They are not allowed to quit in this house,” he said. “Once you start, you finish.”

He said for the most part they’ve shown the initiative on their own without much prodding.

“It makes it easy for us to be proud,” he said.