I'm a junior and my classes are AP Psychology AP Spanish 3 AP English 3 Chemistry Honors Precal Honors Academy Class ROP (Feels like AP class) I get so stressed out from doing my best for this schedule but it isn't enough. to take an AP just because colleges “like it.”  Not only will you be miserable, but doing so may not even increase your chances of acceptance into a particular school. This is her third year as a staff member for the Johnson newspaper and her first year as the arts editor. 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Spphomore Nicole Muul said that she definitely believed “the payoff is worth it.” The main complaint students have of AP classes is not the difficulty of work but the amount. “It’s definitely stressed me out more than its benefited me so far. As an underclassman, I would probably be thinking to myself “screw my enjoyment, I am trying to get into college.”  But, taking these AP courses does not mean anything if you do not do well in them. And, taking an honors course over an AP is not in any way “a step down,” and it certainly does not mean you will not get accepted into the most prestigious universities. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2. If anything, AP classes helped me lessen my liberal education requirements which lets me add on a minor and take a few fun, random classes along the way. Why take AP classes? But is the rigor that AP courses require worth the stress? I know a passing grade in a regular class is better than a failing grade in an AP class, but it just doesn’t go through my brain. It will be online and much shorter than previous years. Josie Brewer, Staff Writer February 11, 2018 In the past few years, Erie high school, among other public schools, has heavily encouraged AP classes, advertising the many advantages, especially the college credits you can earn. Another perk is the multiplier which AP students receive. “I’m taking AP U.S. history, AP psych and AP biology, and then I’m taking Pre-AP algebra two, regular english and forensic science, but there’s no AP course for that,” Ramirez said. But, know that if I take AP english with the rest of my AP courses, it’s not going to be good for me, it’s going to hurt me,” Ramirez said. The College Board states that AP classes aid high schoolers in “achieving their college dreams” by allowing them to stand out on their college applications, earn credits, and gain the skills necessary for students to succeed in their college careers. TikTok is more than just dancing. The final word I’ll leave you with is this: you never know until you try it. The Injustice in Justice: Why the US Should Abolish the Death Penalty, Body Conformity: Its Relevance and Impact on Women, Why the GRAMMYs Must Evolve With the Changing Music Industry, After the Election: The Wounded Bear in the White House, “Don’t Be Afraid”: How the President Has Undermined Civic Responsibility. Distance Learning: An Unprecedented Adjustment, The Student News Site of Fairfield Ludlowe High School, © 2021 • Advertise • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in, Although there are many perspectives on this issue, I would personally urge you. Taking AP (or Advanced Placement) classes in high school can help you prepare for college-level courses and earn credit toward a college degree. Poole added onto this sentiment by saying students should take something that is going to be “relevant to what you do or are thinking about doing in college.”  Students should “make sure they are taking the class for the right reasons,” and it “should definitely, Trump Supporters Infiltrate Capitol Building: For Live Updates, Click Here. Sravan Parimi is a senior at Ludlowe who has taken over eight, yes eight, APs throughout his high school career, so if there is anyone to ask for advice on this topic, it would be him. Your Teen blogger wonders whether AP courses are worth it. AP classes can help your grade point average This is a huge factor in why many students take APs, even more so than in using them to opt out of college classes. A question that arises within many students is if all the stress that comes along with AP classes is really worth it. There are reasons for taking AP tests. I also kinda have a life. I'm starting to think that not taking AP Us History was a mistake, but during course selections I felt like I wouldn't be able to handle the stress of 4 honors and and AP class, considering that I'm easily stressed out (even over stupid things). According to a study from The Pew Research Center, the pressure associated with getting into college has increased at a steady pace, with anxiety and depression becoming real side effects, leaving 17- and 18-year-olds to do whatever it takes to get into their dream school. So the way college credit works is-it’s up to the university or college to accept it, but, in Texas there is actually a state law that says a Texas public school has to award credit for any AP exam of a three, four, or five,” counselor Courtney Tarbox said. AP exams can result in college credit if your score is high enough. For him, he knew his limits and what he could take and, to be honest, that is all you need in this process. Many of the classes were really fun and I’ve learned so much. “AP courses offer those benefits of more rigorous course content. Or Overrated? I first decided to get a student perspective on the issue. “My regular english class is like a breath of fresh air, but it’s so easy that I feel like I’m just sleeping through the class. “You should only take an AP course if you’re really interested in going into that [class], like APUSH right now, history is cool to me but I’m not trying to pursue it at all so my APUSH course right now. AP stresses me out so much and I fear going to class sometimes, cause I just dont know whats happening,” Ramirez said. There are a lot of benefits to taking AP classes, but sometimes students have to decide if the stress is worth it. I know this may put APs in a bad light for some of you who are on the fence, but Mr. Sutcliffe nonetheless reaffirmed the fact that “taking AP courses puts you in another pile [of applications], especially for the more selective schools.”. Students seem to think that the stress they are put under is well worth the advantages of taking an AP class in high school. While he also deals with the personal problems of students, he is mainly tasked with reviewing students’ course selection sheets, recommending classes to take, and guiding students through the college process. When I broke the big question to Parimi of whether or not APs were worth the stress, he easily said, “yes, definitely. 1. Almost all schools will bump up your grade point average at least half a point for taking an AP class. Advanced Placement (AP) classes aim to prepare high school students for the rigors and expectations of college-level academics through more challenging courses. Taking an AP class is a big decision, and kids can end up with a great benefit, or it can be a waste of energy and time. Skip to Main Content. If you enjoy what you are doing and can handle the workload, “it can be very enjoyable and rewarding to learn,” Parimi said. Dr. Shannon Suldo (L) and Dr. Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick (R) Students taking accelerated coursework such as Advanced Placement (AP) classes and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program face … The idea is that it’s helping to really prepare you for college, and there’s also the added benefit of if you do well on the AP exam, you can earn college credit. Netflix Christmas Edition, The Tiktok trends you may – or may not – care about. But 10 tests and $750 later, I can say this for certain: none of them applied to us. A recent study by the Institute of Education Sciences reports that students “enrolled in rigorous college preparatory programs such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate (AP-IB) classes” may experience more stress than students taking general courses. But, I feel like if I drop those classes and I stop doing those AP classes, it’s going to hurt my GPA. When I broke the big question to Parimi of whether or not APs were worth the stress, he easily said, “yes, definitely. And it becomes less stressful throughout the year as you adapt to the workload.” So for example, art appreciation is a dual credit course, but it’s not an AP class, so it gets a 1.15 multiplier and that the same is true for the business dual credit courses; anything that’s not an AP, but dual credit get a 1.15,” Tarbox said. It challenges your brain in high school when regular classes won’t. Personally, I began taking APs in my junior year, but I know many people who started as just sophomores. Beginning in his sophomore year, he has breezed through some of the hardest courses, such as AP Chemistry, US History, and Physics. But parents of AP ® students should be aware of one possible downside of Advanced Placement ® courses—extra stress. A big misunderstanding is that taking an AP will automatically put you in that more selective pile; but, in the words of Mr. Sutcliffe, colleges want to see you “do well in them.”  If the subject area is not of any interest to you and you are simply trying to pile on APs, you will again be miserable and will most likely underperform. In the past five years, passage rates of AP tests in our school have steadily declined. Like Meghna's experience with AP's, staying up until 2 or 3 a.m. every night to keep up the load of four AP classes seemed like the norm to stay up to par with classmates and class curriculum. AP classes have many benefits, but are they worth the stress for everyone? So, even though APs may look “good,” you need to make sure that you actually like what you are learning. Every day, I'd walk to classes barely awake: too worried about falling asleep in class and missing something important yet too sleepy to focus and learn the material the first time around. But, what makes him so successful is not his sheer intelligence, but rather that he knew what he could handle and had the right attitude when deciding to take an AP. I go to 2 clubs. Teachers have “a good read” on what kids can handle, so do not be afraid to visit one and ask questions. AP classes can help you in many ways. Many of the classes were really fun and I’ve learned so much. Well, yes and no (that’s not very helpful, right?) AP classes are worth the stress Jan 05, 2016 at 2:19 PM Your Tuesday front page article about the expansion of Advanced Placement classes in high schools was most welcome. We’ve also had some students challenge AP japanese in a similar situation,” Tarbox said. Lauryn Hughes is a senior. But, he reaffirmed the fact that choosing an AP is “dependent on each person and based on the specific AP class, since different students are at different levels and different AP classes require different abilities and responsibilities.”. What are AP classes? I take all honors classes (excluding electives) and I'll be taking all honors classes next year. I firmly believe your performance in a class is based on your interest in the subject. As we close out the first semester of the school year, many are beginning to look into and select classes for next year. It teaches you time management and you have to study a lot more material and pay attention to small details you wouldn’t normally take a second glance at. JES RUVALCABA / UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL In … At the same time, I knew that these classes were what the best colleges were looking for students to take, so I partly based my decisions off of that motivation. It’s about politics too. When asked about what he tells students when they wish to take an AP course, he said he asks kids if they “are up for the challenge” and if “the subject area is a passion of yours.”  He went onto say that “colleges want to see that you are taking classes that are appropriate for you.”, I received a similar response from Katie Poole, a math teacher who teaches AP Calculus. The other exception that we see sometimes is students that move here, and maybe they are native spanish speakers, so they may not be in AP spanish language, but they can take the AP spanish exam to see if they could earn credit. Regardless of what grade you are in, taking college courses at such a young age is certainly daunting and stress-inducing; the fact that you are already stressing over a course you have yet to take or even sign up for is most definitely discouraging. A2A: Are all those honor and AP classes in high school really worth the hard work and stress in college? Unlike AP classes, the multiplier is less for Dual Credit classes and of course non-existent for regular classes. He recognized his interests and decided to act upon them; the fact that this all coincided with a fairly impressive resume for colleges is just icing on the cake. Every class of mine have something important. As long as you know your limits, schedule, work ethic and, most importantly, yourself, you will be successful in any class or path you wish to take. Sometimes students ease up on the amount of AP courses they are taking, so they can have an easier class to buffer their stress. AP courses can offer rigorous training for college, but taking too many can be stressful for students. Looking back on all the negative effects of Advanced Placement classes, does the stress seem to be worth it? “It’s a lot of pressure, to be honest,” said Keller. “I think AP classes are so worthwhile, I just think that somehow stress needs to be alleviated because most of us put our academics and education before our mental health and you can feel how sad and how tired everyone is, but I feel like AP classes are helping me learn a lot about myself and I’m growing as a student.” ~Ellie Nguyen “The district years ago had set up a system to encourage students to challenge themselves with rigorous courses and be rewarded, because we know it takes a lot of extra time and a lot of extra effort to be successful in those classes. With the rigors of AP courses comes a lot of stress, and they may not be appropriate for all students. On the one hand, I knew I wanted to challenge myself by utilizing the vast amount of courses and rigorous curriculum that Ludlowe provides. Those who do take AP classes, rigorous courses that allow students to earn college credits early, end up stressing out as they frantically attempt to learn new ways of writing, thinking, studying, living. Junior Emma Ramirez played to her strengths and chose more advanced courses in the subjects she enjoys. I love those classes so much-it entregues me and it pulls me in so much that I want to do the work for it,” Ramirez said. But for what it’s worth, I don’t think that high school students should be allowed to even take that stress on. In fact, although students’ scores have risen in the past ten years, the overall passing rate has dropped by 4 percent, according to Politico. Taking regular classes can relieve some stress for students, but fighting through an advanced course can have its benefits. “ For me, the stress … There are a lot of benefits to taking AP classes, but sometimes students have to decide if the stress is worth it. Poole added onto this sentiment by saying students should take something that is going to be “relevant to what you do or are thinking about doing in college.”  Students should “make sure they are taking the class for the right reasons,” and it “should definitely not be a resume booster.”. So the ranks and multiplier system set up now shows that if a student is in an AP course it will get a 1.29 multiplier,” Tarbox said. My AP bio[logy] though, I love science, I want to go into forensics. Sometimes, depending on your score, you can get college credit. Waivers can be obtained for AP classes, but only when UIL activities are compromised by lower grades. I usually sleep at around 1-3 AM (sometimes 5AM), so I never get enough sleep. It increases your GPA, help you out with college in the future, and improves your knowledge in that certain subject. I know a passing grade in a regular class is better than a failing grade in an AP class, but it just doesn’t go through my brain. I know this may seem like an outlandish idea, so I went to an actual college counselor here at Ludlowe, Brian Sutcliffe, to get his views. AP classes are considered college-level courses. Chris is an Op-Ed/Features writer in his first year with The Prospect staff. “There are a few scenarios where you can, but usually there is not an AP exam associated with on level courses. 4. Here are some pros and cons to help you decide: PRO: AP coursework prepares students better for the rigors of … But, usually the sponsors or coaches that involve those UIL activities will also have waivers and that process that they can explain to students as well,” Tarbox said. When asked about his motivation, he said that he “took them because [he] wanted to learn more and challenge [himself].” He went on to say that these classes “provided a nice GPA boost and looks good for colleges.”. Although there are many perspectives on this issue, I would personally urge you not to take an AP just because colleges “like it.”  Not only will you be miserable, but doing so may not even increase your chances of acceptance into a particular school. They hear that AP classes are extremely difficult, and perhaps feel that they are not smart enough to take them. Your email address will not be published. It gives you an edge in college applications. But, there are two examples, Pre-AP world geography and Pre-AP world history, that do give their students the option to do some extra studying and extra things to get prepared for the AP exam. In our grade, he is known as one of the smartest, most hard-working students. Luckily for you, I am doing the research and, as a student who has taken multiple APs throughout high school, I hope I can offer some guidance. In reality, AP courses have become mere trophies, adding little more than volume and sparkle to a competitive college application. But, I feel like if I drop those classes and I stop doing those AP classes, it’s going to hurt my GPA. This becomes an even more apparent matter when evaluating AP test scores at Licking Valley. Are they worth the extra work and stress? Millions of high school students in America enroll in Advanced Placement classes (rigorous college-level courses taught in high schools) each year, willingly signing up for copious amounts of stress and maladjustment. On this topic, Mr. Sutcliffe said that “honors classes are still rigourous and colleges recognize that.” Remember, colleges want to see you take these difficult courses, but that you are also doing well in them. Many teenagers wonder if taking an AP class is worth the stress and work that it brings. And it becomes less stressful throughout the year as you adapt to the workload.”, Poole went so far as to say it is “okay to be stressed; if a student is well prepared and passionate about the subject, stress is okay.”. “AP classes do provide great preparation for college,” junior Gabriella D’Agostini says, “but I do wonder if all the stress is worth it.” Perhaps students should focus more on the educational benefits they earn from taking the test and stress less over possible scores and future benefits that may be difficult to obtain. Amid the disruption from the coronavirus, high school students will be able to take Advanced Placement (AP) tests next month. What are you going to do over winter break? “An AP course that’s an AP, dual credit just gets the AP 1.29 multiplier. “AP classes are definitely stressful due to tremendous amount of studying and work. She loves to write and has been a ballet dancer for 14 years. Just like many of you, I am involved around the school in clubs and sports; although hard to balance, I knew that I wanted and could handle the challenge. 3. But, I, as well as others, are here to tell you that APs are not all that scary in the end. Sydney Keller is a sophomore at ENHS and is enrolled in AP World History, and is experiencing this class style for the first time. We got right into the discussion, where he recommended students speak to their teachers about what an AP would be like in their desired content area. “The AP exams are scored on a scale of one to five, so if you make a three or better then you should earn some type of college credit.”. In the end, I have no power to tell you that taking APs is worth the stress. With increasing pressure to enroll in AP courses, not only for college credit but also for the weighted GPA, it is no wonder that students often find their grades suffering and their stress levels soaring. It helps train you for how college is going to be like. “With UIL eligibility, they give a list of advanced courses-which are usually the Pre-AP and AP courses-and if a student is not passing with a 70 or higher at the grade checkpoint, they can turn in a waiver to have that grade, for eligibility purposes, accepted, because it’s an advanced high course,” Tarbox said. As a take away, both AP and regular courses are beneficial, depending on the individual student and what they can handle. This can be a difficult process, as students are engulfed with their current studies and have little time to research; this is especially true for those looking to take Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Multiyear Study Investigates Stress in IB and AP Students IES Grant. Well, Parimi probably seems crazy at this point for taking so many APs. “The eligibility waivers, I believe, [the students will] find out about thought the main office. 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