Is the Work Worth it?

By Polina Negrescu, Reporter           Published February 20, 2020

Advanced Placement ( AP ) is an academic program in the United States and Canada that provides high school students with curriculum directly from approved universities in their country. This program is run by College Board therefore the placement classes also allow students to earn college credit from exams taken for the class. Although AP classes are always in a top recommendation for students reaching for higher scholarships or Ivy Leagues, the real question turns out to be: Which classes are worth it and which ones are a waste of time?

Some sophomore and junior students at Northwest CTA High School have claimed that there are classes presented by College Board have less use towards potential careers and scholarships. Classes such as AP Biology and AP Chemistry could be extremely beneficial to careers clustered in the medical field, while AP classes such as AP Art History could be less helpful to those students. 

One sophomore student from Northwest, Haley Thornton, mentioned that “AP classes are some of the most beneficial classes available in high school”. AP classes reduce not only the cost of college classes but can also minimize the number of years in college. Taking certain AP classes in high school can fill up for one-fifth of the classes presented in college, which helps with not only future college courses but with the transition to college itself.

Another student from Northwest, Henry Gonzalez Monroy, is in extreme support of AP classes since he is taking four and is planning to take six more. Adaption and time-management are also some of the most important factors that are taught in AP classes, especially through the workload and projects. Monroy claimed that his “organization/planning skills improved along with other academic benefits ranging from improved writing styles that work with AP/ACT standards”.

Not all factors from AP classes are beneficial despite the nation-wide support they receive from school boards. AP classes usually require AP exams towards the end of the year which range from $94-$175. Also, AP classes are considered to be one of the hardest clusters of classes available for high school students.

   High school is a finish line for most students around the world, testing not only mental but social skills critically. In order to receive the highest level of education possible, classes for each individual need to be on to their learning skills. If regular and honor classes don’t push a student through school work, AP classes are the perfect way to set a student up for not only academic success throughout high school but college itself.