Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered to high school students provide a unique opportunity for students to place out of college courses. Just taking the class however, does not give students that college credit. Students, who want to receive college credit, must also take the AP exam and obtain the score needed for the college they wish to attend. These test consist of multiple choice and many have free response questions requiring students to write their own written responses to a question.
“I decided to take AP courses because I learned from my older siblings that the more AP classes you take in high school, the easier college is. I want my college experience to be as stress free as possible; that’s why I want to get as many college credit done in high school as I can,” said Matt Burroughs, junior.
These AP exams are only offered in May,therefore, students taking year-long or semester long AP classes must prepare all year for the AP exam. One resource teachers use to help their students is Barron’s educational books make books that specifically to help students prepare for AP course exams, many teachers use these books to help their students prepare.
“I have been preparing for my AP exams by studying my Barrons book and going to review sessions after school,” said Burroughs.
This year, due to several unexpected winter weather storms, teachers have lost class time to help students prepare for their AP exam; therefore, they are having to find new and clever ways to help students prepare.
Some students feel as if all of the unexpected snow days helped them in regards to preparing for AP exams because it provided them with more time to study and individually prepare for their AP exams.
“The snow helped me because I was able to handle all of the AP course load, but it also hurt me because I might not have time to learn all of the information I will need,” said Burroughs.
One way teachers worked around the snow days is by posting assignments online for their students to complete. Whether student are prepared or not the AP exams are approaching quickly.
