They’re back.
After a long weekend of actually getting a healthy amount of sleep, I thought I’d gotten rid of my eye bags from staying up late doing homework. But they’ve already returned, and it’s only Wednesday.
I definitely stayed up too late studying last night. And the night before that.
As a sophomore, I’m already overwhelmed with chemistry, Advanced Placement European History and two other honors classes. I'm terrified for next year when I’ll be taking three or four AP classes, studying for the ACT and touring colleges.
Currently, almost every night, I’m awake until 11 p.m. trying to remember what the symbol for the element Antimony is, or about falling asleep while finishing my reading chart with my textbook.
I wish I could go back and take an AP class freshman year to prepare me for this load now, but I can’t.
Freshmen should have the option to take an AP class to help better prepare them for future advanced courses in high school and college.
Taking an AP class is hard, and taking one freshman year would’ve allowed me to have more success now and in future years.
There’s a strategy to taking these advanced classes, and it takes time to learn how. How to study for the AP exam, how to apply the content, how to write a document-based question, short-answer question, long-answer question or other skills the class requires, which take practice.
An extra year to take AP classes allows students an additional year to harness those skills.
I can’t compare last year to now because my most challenging classes then were Honors English and Honors Biology, which were as difficult as sophomore-level electives. Most of the time, I only had homework three days a week.
No part of last year prepared me for staying up late, cramming for tests and trying to keep up with all the content that teachers throw at me.
People might say an honors class prepares students for APs, but it’s not the same. It’s not the same coursework, exam, or even effort. AP classes have college-level content, and honors classes are still based on high school content.
There’s a big difference.
Like I said, not even close to freshman year.
Taking an AP class freshman year gives you more time to learn, practice and figure out what works for you in these types of classes. This approach better prepares students for junior year, when grades and building resumes matter most for college applications.
If SM East prides itself on the rigor of our coursework here, then why aren’t we challenging the freshmen, too?
Other schools in the Kansas City metro area allow freshmen to take AP Human Geography, including Mill Valley and the Blue Valley district. And, Blue Valley set a record for their 2023-2024 school year with an 84% AP-test passing rate — a three or higher — according to Blue Valley Today. Clearly, freshmen are doing well in AP classes.
The College Board advertises Human Geography as a course suited for freshmen and that it leads well into classes like AP European History and AP Microeconomics for sophomores.
Taking one AP class sophomore year isn’t enough to properly prepare students who will be taking multiple classes during their junior year, which is arguably the most important year due to college. I want to be prepared and set up to succeed, as I want to attend a top-25 college, but I won’t be able to do that if I’m not set up to do well in classes.
Not to mention taking more AP classes and doing well in those classes gives students more chances to earn college credit, which, for some, means less of a financial burden in the long run.
Many colleges accept credit from fours or fives on the end-of-year AP exam; some take a three, depending on the class. Earning college credit through doing well on the exam means students don’t need to take as many classes in college, or can double major. Taking fewer classes can lead to graduating early, and for some students, can make a substantial difference financially.
According to Urban Institute, 30-40 percent of undergraduate students take on student debt, and although it seems like allowing freshmen in high school to take an AP class is irrelevant, there’s a domino effect that makes it matter.
So, to make school easier for students in the long run, freshmen should have the option to take an AP class.
They can handle it.
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