by Gabby Beddingfield and Zach Lozevski
AP classes can seem scary to students who have never taken them before or have heard of their reputation. Each course is different, with different teachers that each have a unique teaching method. This can be one factor into what a specific AP course is like, but different students can be impacted differently by them, as well as the teachers that are teaching the material. So, what are their views on AP classes?
Sophomore Forbes Good took AP Environmental Science (known as APES to many) this year. Junior Harrison Batchelor took APES as well, and also took AP Language and Composition. AP classes are designed to be more difficult, as they are college-level courses. So, this means they will most likely require more studying time outside of class. For some students, like Forbes, AP classes can cause a lot of stress. Harrison, though, didn’t take on too much stress from his AP courses. Yet, he said, “There were times when studying for tests and writing papers got stressful.” It’s different for each student, so some will experience more stress than others due to these more challenging courses.
Although AP classes may be stressful, they aren’t necessarily as awful as they may seem. They may not add up to be as bad as you put them in your head to be. This happened to Forbes. When asked if her AP class and exam was what she expected, Forbes said, “No, they were a little easier. I made it seem like it was going to be very hard.” Harrison, though, felt that his AP courses were about like what he expected them to be. Many students, like Harrison and Forbes, take these high-level courses for college credit. Some students also take them because they are interested in that subject. For example, Forbes liked learning a little bit more about environmental science. Both Forbes and Harrison suggest taking AP classes to other students. Harrison suggests that students take as many AP classes as they can because “they get you ready for college, and they’re fun courses.”
The added accomplishment of completing an AP course has many long-term benefits for students. In addition to earning college credit while still in high school, students can also increase their GPA by taking advanced courses and performing well on the final exam. From the student's perspective, courses can seem very difficult, heavy in course load, and overwhelming if they are not properly prepared. There are many things students can do to prepare for college, and taking AP courses is one of the most productive; however, it is important for students to not overload themselves each semester and to properly gauge how much they can handle while still achieving a high grade.
From the teacher’s perspective, AP coursework demands a high level of independence and responsibility to achieve success. AP course instructors have the responsibility to help high school students learn how to manage a more complex and extensive class to prepare for college. Course instructors have to keep constant awareness of students’ performances and improvements to ensure their success. If a student can keep up with their classwork, be timely with assignments, and achieve a high score on the AP Exam, they will be better prepared for future experiences in life that require as much discipline.
From a reputable AP teacher at Greenfield, the following advice was offered for students: “AP classes require much work for students which might include reading, analyzing articles, online quizzes, watching videos and internalizing information from various sources.” It is very beneficial as a student to be resourceful and clever with all the assets your teacher can offer.
AP exams offer limited stress if one has good time management. “If a student has been preparing all along and provided with adequate study materials, it shouldn't completely stress them out. With that being said, the person should prepare 2-3 hours each night the week before.” Some good resources the teacher offered were the college board website, the textbook, and Princeton/Barron’s review book. The instructor also stated that it is useful to take AP courses in fields you wish to pursue later in life.
The challenge of AP coursework during high school may seem formidable to many students, but it is dependent on a student's skills and motivation. From the teacher’s perspective, students should use their resources and dedicate plenty of time to each AP class. From the student’s perspective, taking AP classes can be very challenging, but very rewarding. The greatest merits of taking AP classes are, increasing one’s GPA, earning future college credits, and pursuing prospective fields.
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