Advanced Placement (AP) classes play a significant role in the academic experience for many high school students. These courses are designed to challenge students with college-level material while still in high school. Many students choose AP classes to strengthen their transcripts and to help prepare for the future academic demands. “AP classes push me to manage my time better and stay organized,” senior Francessca Cassese said.
In addition to academic rigor, AP courses help students develop important skills such as critical thinking, writing, and problem solving. Teachers emphasize that the workload is demanding but purposeful. “The goal isn’t just to assign more work, but to help students learn how to think deeply and independently,” AP Chemistry teacher Miss Policy explained. Students often say that while AP classes can be stressful at times, the sense of accomplishment makes the challenge worth it.
As college expectations continue to rise, AP classes remain an important opportunity for students to grow academically. Whether students earn college credit or not, many agree the experience helps prepare them for life beyond high school.
Seniors: Dimitri Zoumis, Mihali Frangos, and Pierce Jones in AP Comuputer Science, taken by Natalie Blasko.