AHN Juniors Adjust to New AP classes

As the Class of 2020 adjusts to their new responsibilities, AP classes are proving to be a significant source of stress. AP courses require more time, work, and effort than other classes, which makes them that much more challenging.

Maria Garcia Gil (‘20) says, “I initially was going to take more than one AP class, but doing so many really stressed me out even though it was just the beginning of the year. AP Spanish is a lot of work this year, which makes it very stressful. We have to do workbook pages, activities on our online textbook, chapter packets, projects, and study for tests and quizzes.”

AHN students have different reasons for taking AP courses, but it is suggested that students take them if they have an interest in the subject and can dedicate time to the class. However, many students take AP classes because they feel it will look good on college transcripts.

Garcia Gil says, “I also feel like I should be taking more AP classes because they are important to college and look good on applications.”

Many Academy juniors hope that the AP classes will not only look good to colleges, but also will help them learn useful skills for the future.

Sophia Arnold (‘20) said, “I am taking AP Language and Composition with Dr. O [Oetinger]. Even though it is my only AP, this class is very interesting because it helps me learn how to write, which I think will benefit me in my future and in college.”

Other students are taking more than one AP and are adjusting to the different paces and styles of the various classes.

Emma Crall (‘20) said, “This year I have decided to take three AP classes: AP Chem, AP Lang and APUSH [US History]. I was most excited for AP Chem because it is a topic I have great interest in, and it has been a great class so far. I was the most stressed for APUSH because I have never been very interested in history courses. I have found this class to be fascinating and less stressful than I had expected. Surprisingly, AP Lang has been my hardest class. It takes time to get used to being able to write in a timely manner, but I know this will benefit me when it comes to writing college applications and taking the SAT.”

During sophomore year, some students decided to take AP Human Geography, and they have found that it benefits their performance in various additional AP classes this year.

Crall says, “Last year, I took AP Human Geography. While I found the content to be interesting, I struggled with the class. Even though it caused me a lot of stress last year, I am still glad I took the course. It helped me learn how to manage my time and use efficient studying habits.”