The Editors
At this time of year, we are rushing to select and register for the classes we will be taking next year. AP and honors classes are emphasized because they “look good on college apps.” The beauty of AP classes comes in two parts. Firstly, the class will be weighted, meaning that if you achieve a “C” or better, your grade will be counted in your GPA as one letter grade above what you actually received in the class. The second benefit is the AP test, which, if passed, will give you college credit and save you precious time and money in the long run.
However, AP classes are not all fun and games, as they are some of the most stress-inducing and time-consuming classes on campus. These are college-prep classes, therefore they meet college-level standards and take up college-sized amounts of your time. You will experience days, if not weeks, of excruciatingly low amounts of sleep as you try to balance your school work, extracurricular activities and social life. When colleges consider you for admittance, they look at the difficulty of your course load, your GPA (which is boosted by taking weighted classes), your class rank and your SAT or ACT score. That being said, colleges also seek out well-rounded students who are involved in and committed to a variety of extracurricular activities.
When considering whether or not to take these AP classes, it is important to factor in time for outside activities and, more importantly, time for yourself. High school can be extremely stressful due to the fact that your grades decide much of your future, and it is very easy to slip up on a test or miss an assignment here and there. This stress will be infinitely easier to manage if you make sure to set aside time to relax without having to think about the three AP English Language essays you still need to write or the upcoming test for AP Art History.
The last thing you want to do is bite off more than you can chew. If you’re hesitant about taking AP classes, pick at least one AP course with a subject that you are familiar with and know you will have some success in, whether it be AP Biology or AP U.S. History. Then stick to it, and enjoy the learning experience. You do not need a full schedule of AP classes to make an impression on a college. High school should not be made up of countless all-nighters, so while pushing yourself to take rigorous courses like AP classes, don’t go overboard and sign up for AP Calculus BC if the last math class you took was Geometry. Challenge yourself, but make sure that you’re ready for the challenge.