With the sunny month of May comes the dreaded Advanced Placement (AP) testing period. Over the course of a year, or in some cases, a single semester, students engaged in AP classes scramble to absorb as much knowledge as quickly and efficiently as possible. All in an attempt to better prepare themselves for future college classes and (hopefully) score a three or above on that big, scary test at the end of the year.
Plainfield East gives its students a wide variety of AP courses to choose from, ranging from classes like Psychology all the way to things like Advanced Calculus. These classes can properly prepare students for what a class at the college level is like.
“I think it prepares you in the discussions especially, and what is expected at a college level with professors. I think that it really helps with writing and what the expectation would be on all levels of writing,” said Cindy Egizio, Associate Principal of Curriculum and Instruction. “ It really does kind of get you ready for what the college experience in a classroom is going to be.”
AP classes can provide valuable insight into the general expectations that are presented in college.
“They prepare you for a larger workload than you’re used to. I feel like a lot of classes have a lot of homework, but they don’t have the workload. You could have an assignment every day, but it is not the same as doing an AP assignment in class because it prepares you for people who want you to get the answer wrong,” said junior Carter Murray. “They prepare you for people that want to know that you know things, not people that want to teach you things.”
By learning how to manage a heavy workload in High School, students are better able to adjust to what is considered the norm in college.
Along with preparing students for college classes in the general sense, AP courses allow students to pursue a better understanding of topics that they enjoy. Getting ahead in high school makes jumping straight into a subject a student already enjoys or is good at that much easier when they are in college.
“I think what else is great about [AP classes] is that it gives you an opportunity to kind of explore things that you really like, and think, ‘is this a possible career opportunity for me? Is this something that I can make a career out of?’” Egizio said.
AP classes can give students the resources to further their education in a subject they truly enjoy learning and are passionate about through the more in-depth curriculum.
Both the knowledge taught in the academic sense and the general understanding of college curriculum gained throughout the duration of an AP class give those taking them an important glimpse into their future.
