“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The first two weeks of May are usually one of the best times of the year: the sun is out, flowers are blooming, and it finally feels like the harsh, snowy winter is behind us. But for Advance Placement (AP) students, the first two weeks of May are one of the most stressful times of the year because they are the two weeks of highly anticipated AP exams.
The College Board created the AP program in 1955 to bridge the achievement gap between secondary school and higher education (College Board). Initially, only 11 courses were offered, but now 38 college-level courses in a variety of subject areas are open to high school students around the world. The program has grown as more high schools adopt AP curriculum and more students take AP exams, with a record 2.6 million students taking them in 2016 (College Board).
Why Take AP Classes
The appeal of AP classes is that they showcase a student’s academic rigor and passion in specific subject areas. A study by the US Department of Education reveals that the most powerful indicator of college graduation is the rigor of a student’s high school curriculum, with AP courses being the educational gold standard in that respect (College Board). Due to the difficulty and speed of the course, AP classes are weighted on a 5.0 scale instead of the 4.0 scale of regular classes, boosting students’ GPAs and helping them earn merit scholarships.
Additionally, with all the extra knowledge students learn in an AP class, it gives them an advantage on standardized exams, such as the SAT, ACT and SAT Subject Tests. AP courses also help ease the difficult transition to college course load come freshman year of college. Best of all, many colleges accept AP exam scores to receive credit or to “test out” of introductory classes, saving students time and money. Some students who have taken enough AP courses are even able to graduate college early!
My AP Experience
From my experience of taking my first AP class this year, I would definitely recommend it to any student who is dedicated, up for a challenge and has a 100 percent positive mindset that they will be able to handle the course load.
As a sophomore at Ashland High School, the only AP course traditionally offered to us is AP European History. Taking the class was quite honestly one of the most eye-opening and inspirational experiences of my life. History has never been my strongest subject and is a class I need to work really hard to do well in. This year, I pushed myself to learn and study more than I ever have for a class, and it has given me the confidence that I can do anything I set my mind to.
AP exam scores are released in July and even if I don’t make a 5, I will consider completing this course one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve had thus far. From fighting for the class to run at the end of freshman year to completing 18-page textbook outlines to writing an essay incorporating numerous primary source documents, I’m proud of myself and the other 15 students in my class. We’ve become a true family by sending each other late-night motivational messages before tests, throwing each other out of windows in the name of extra credit (reenacting the Defenestrations of Prague), building barricades in class to envision the French Revolution, making 15-page study guides for every unit, and taking a field trip to the World War II museum in Natick.
The real-life application and usefulness of this class was a pleasant surprise, as well! My historical knowledge helped me understand the context of A Tale of Two Cities in English class, which I quoted at the beginning of this article.
Keep Buggering On!
This whole experience would not have been possible without our phenomenal teacher, Mr. Michael Wurster. The care, passion and thought Mr. Wurster puts into every single lesson makes every student want to strive for a 5 on the AP Euro exam. While being the epitome of a Star Wars fanatic, drama queen and secret Mean Girls aficionado, Mr. Wurster cares about each and every one of his students’ well being more than their grades. He caters to everyone’s individual needs and creates unique, fun educational activities! A sincere ‘thank you’ to Mr. Wurster for making this year unforgettable and reminding me to always KBO (Keep Buggering On)!
I hope that the advantages of taking an AP class and my experience inspire other students to take on the challenge because it will be an experience they will not regret! For more about the world through my eyes, keep reading my monthly column :)
Issue Date:
June, 2017
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