As the final quarter of the school year nears, students begin to prepare and coordinate with their counselors to select their classes for the upcoming school year. When it comes to the difficulty of the courses, there is a variety which includes College Prep (CP), Honors, and Advanced Placement, which is “the most rigorous course,” Malden High School has to offer, according to principal Christopher Mastrangelo.
Many students typically hear about these classes from their friends and classmates. Word often spreads of the difficulty of the courses and the amount of workload and stress that they tend to give. This is due to the strict curriculum offered by the College Board. These classes move at a fast pace, and “the depth, the speed, the expectation of work from the students follows that progression,” continued Mastrangelo.
The pace at which these classes progress challenges students to keep up. AP courses mirror college-level courses, meaning teachers often move quickly through complex material. Falling behind can happen fast, and catching up requires lots of effort and discipline.
Compared to CP or even Honors classes, AP courses demand more reading, more assignments, and more independent studying. It is not uncommon for students to spend several hours outside of class each week simply trying to keep up.
Students find themselves developing time management skills in order to manage the workload. Sophomore Dylan Huang noted that a big challenge of AP courses is “balancing out the homework alongside other extracurriculars.”
Sophomore Sophia Zhang agreed with this sentiment. On top of sports, clubs, and student council activities, she finds herself “working later” than she wants to and “most of the time working until the deadline.”
These classes can often lead to high levels of stress and pressure on students. When paired with so many extracurriculars and personal responsibilities, Zhang believes it is best to “not take more AP courses than you think you can because that can lead to burnout really quickly.”
While there is no doubt AP courses can be hard on students, they also offer a number of benefits for students.
The biggest standout factor for students is the ability to prepare for college. Although Malden High offers Dual Enrollment courses, AP courses are another good way to get students “prepared for college level classes,” claimed Brunelli counselor Amy Poulton.
Sophomore Liliana Lin believes that “an AP course is a great introduction to the workload of a college class. It’ll teach you time management and different skills for that class or subject.” Through AP courses, students are able to develop critical thinking, time management, and study skills that are essential for success in higher education.
The courses not only help students get used to college-level rigor, but can also offer “college credit” or can be used “in substitution for some classes in college,” shared history teacher Kurtis Scheer. Scoring high on AP exams can allow students to skip certain introductory courses in college, saving both time and tuition money.
Additionally, these courses allow students to explore their academic interests in depth. Whether it is biology, history, literature, or mathematics, if a student has “a real passion for whatever topic that it is,” they are able to “think a little bit more critically as it relates to complex topics,” in AP courses, added Scheer.
“If a student comes in here and got all A’s in CP classes, I want that student to take all honors classes the next year. You don’t want to just skate by. If you’re achieving at that level, then you need to go to the next level. It’s that piece about constantly evolving and challenging yourself academically,” stated Mastrangelo
For students who are considering or already enrolled in AP courses, there are several strategies that others have used to help them succeed.
The biggest piece of advice students tend to give is to avoid procrastination. Zhang emphasized the importance of being able to “space out your day to finish your work and also set aside time to study for tests and other assessments,” to succeed in classes while not exhausting yourself.
Others also noted the importance of a work-life balance. Students may load their schedules with AP courses, simply for the GPA boost, increased challenges, or because of pressure from their peers. Due to this, Huang advised to “take the AP courses that interest you,” and to “find a balance between challenging yourself academically and having a fun high school experience.”
“While for some it may be a big jump, like anything in life, it requires initiative. You don’t know what you’re capable of until you try it,” Huang concluded.
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