By Helen Zeidman Junior Editor in Chief Not many people enjoy eating vegetables, going to the gym to exercise, or taking a trip to the dentist. Most people would rather devour junk food, stay at home to watch television, and skip the annual dentist appointment. While these options are easier, they are not exactly healthy and will not benefit anyone in the long run. Advanced Placement classes are the equivalent of eating vegetables and going to the gym. They have proved time and time again that they have countless benefits, but many people are scared of them and the work that they entail. AP classes may not be the most pleasant experience in high school, but they are well worth the work. Advanced Placement courses are not the typical honors classes. They are actually college level courses taught in high school that must meet the strict national standards set by the College Board. According to Mrs. Pamela Scott, the AP Coordinator and Auditor at the high school, AP courses are the highest level classes that high schools offer.
At the end of the course, students can choose to take the AP exam and potentially earn college credit if they do well enough. Passing one test may not seem like such a big deal, but there are high stakes with the AP test. You either pass or fail, earn college credit or end up without it. With stakes as high as this, the classes have to be rigorous enough to give students a chance to pass the exam. This means countless nights spent studying, writing, and trying not to go insane. The whole year in an AP class leads up to taking the test, whether you are ready for it or not. While the pass-fail nature of the AP test and the possibility of not receiving college credit after working so hard in a class is terrifying, there are other benefits to taking AP classes other than earning college credit. Since AP classes are the highest level offered during high school, it impresses colleges and other post secondary education institutions when students have the courage to take the course. “It speaks loudly to colleges,” Scott said. “You are showing post secondary schools that you are challenging yourself.” AP classes also boast that they will give high school students the chance to skip introductory classes in college and learn vital college skills before even stepping foot on campus. Not only does taking AP classes impress colleges, but it will impress yourself. AP classes are designed to challenge students and push them beyond what they thought they could do. While it might not have felt great to stay up late to finish homework or to stay home during the weekend to study, at the end of the year students can look back and say that they completed a college-level course and learned more than they could have ever imagined. According to the College Board website, “AP students can really test and push themselves in a familiar setting while gaining confidence, developing good study habits, and enjoying a great learning experience.” AP classes are not for the weak of heart, but if a student has the ability to take the class, it is recommended to give it a shot. “Anytime a student has the academic ability to take an AP course, as a guidance counselor and a parent, I advise that you challenge yourself,” Scott said. In the end, when all of the tests have been taken, all of the studying is finally over, and all of the homework is completed, AP classes are truly worth the sacrifices.
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