By Amanda Tennant, staff writer
In the next few months, many underclassmen will finalize their schedules for the upcoming school year. Out of all the classes available, Advanced Placement classes are causing the most uproar. The horrors of AP classes are vivid and known to many: late nights, sleep deprivation, hours of homework, and endless stress are just a few. As a result, many hopeful AP students are concerned and afraid of what to expect when taking an AP class.
However, three years and eight AP classes later, I can tell you that there is more to an AP class than just a mountain of homework and sleepless nights. So, this is advice for the underclassmen out there who are taking the risk and signing up for AP classes.
Prioritizing is the most important skill you will need for an AP class. AP classes are a big time commitment and require a lot of attention. However, you might have other obligations and activities outside of schoolwork such as a job, sports, music, leadership position, etc. If you try to be involved with all of this, AP classes will not work out for you. This is why before you take an AP class, you need to sit yourself down and figure out what is most important to you. You have to decide on what your goals are and if that AP class is either going to deter those goals or help them. Once you do this, if you decide that you would rather invest your time into sports than an AP class, that’s fine. Figure that out now and don’t take that AP class. If you want to try and balance being in multiple activities as well as taking an AP class, good for you. Plan ahead and determine how you are going to make that happen. Otherwise if you don’t figure it out and you take that AP class and end up needing help after school, it is going to be difficult to get that help when you have sports practices every day after school, work weekends, are in various clubs, volunteer on your off time, play in band after school, and have all your other classes on top of that. Your grade will suffer. Take time to prioritize your goals.
Familiarize yourself with your subject. Learn as much as you can about the actual class beforehand. Talk to the teacher of the class and ask about the curriculum and expectations. Reach out to students currently taking that class and ask about their experiences. The more prepared you are, the better you will be going into the class.
Help yourself and use your resources. If you don’t understand something, utilize your resources. Be that kid that stays every day after school and asks questions. Read your textbook for more information. Look up YouTube videos to help you review and study. Participate in class! When you participate in class, you are actively engaging in your education. So, don’t be afraid to talk in discussions or volunteer to solve a problem, because you are not only benefiting yourself, but the other people around you if you do. Remember, you will get out what you put in.
Don’t blame your teachers. AP classes are hard and at times you might get a less than desirable grade. However, your teacher is not to blame, especially if you do not help yourself. If you don’t understand something and you are not pursuing help, you can’t complain if you don’t do well on your test.
I highly recommend having a study period. You are going to be tired when you get home and you will not want to do your homework. That’s why it is incredibly convenient to be able to do homework at school. This way, you can do your school work at school and rest at home. So, work a study period into your schedule.
Don’t psych yourself out. Sometimes you might not do as well on a test or project, but don’t let that bring you down. As long as you did your best, hold your head up high because you have done everything in your power to do well and that is something to be proud of. Every time you fall, just brush yourself off and try again next time. However, if you find yourself not being able to brush it off and it is causing you incredible amounts of stress and anxiety, then drop. AP classes are meant to challenge students, not to constantly make them beat themselves up over every single little thing. Don’t ruin your mental health over the class.
Overall, it is worth it. These past three years have been challenging academically and at times made me cry, but if I had a choice I would do it again. As much work as they were, I had a lot of fun in my AP classes and they have helped me discover a lot about myself and the world around me. I look forward to my AP classes every day because I know I’m going to laugh and have a good time while still learning new things and enriching my skills.
Underclassmen, it may be a struggle but don’t be scared. AP classes are a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. Remember, nothing worth having in life is ever achieved easily.