AP Classes: Worth the Sacrifice | Teen Ink

AP Classes: Worth the Sacrifice

September 14, 2011
By savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.


In response to “AP Classes: Worth It?” I must say that they are. I myself am a sophomore enrolled in three AP classes, going to one of the most highly regarded public high schools in the country. It’s true, my friends and I are sleep-deprived. We wake up at 5:00 am every morning to get to zero period class. We study for what seems like a never ending stream of tests, and work in the late hours of the morning finishing projects. It is really worth it?

Most students would argue that it’s not. They would rather participate in sports, and extracurricular activities, or would just rather not have all that stress and have downtime afterschool. We’re teenagers, I get it, and I understand the need to hang out with friends. But for the few of us who dream of going to a prestigious university, we’re willing to make the sacrifice.

We live up to the true meaning of a student, someone who is willing to learn and dedicate their time to school. My best friends and I don’t hang out on the weekends as often as we would like. The majority of our weekends are spent trying to keep up with the staggering amount of work that is continually added to. Why would we torment ourselves willingly like this? Because taking an AP class shouldn’t just be for the college credit. If you can save yourself some classes at college, that’s a wonderful reward for all of your hard work. But that’s not why you should take it.

You may not be granted the credit for your AP class. Then what, you say, was the point of taking it? To learn. While not everyone’s teachers are like this, mine make the effort to teach the subject, not the test. The environment is student-friendly, and it’s okay if you are a nerd who strives for straight A’s. Teaching to the test, is in my eyes, destroying the whole point of going to school. If all you’re doing is memorizing answers to a test, did you really learn anything? So when I decided to take all of these classes, it’s because I wouldn’t be happy in a lower class. I enjoy mentally challenging myself with interesting courses, which is exactly what an AP class offers me. I didn’t take them for the credit; I took them for the pure enjoyment of intellectually advancing myself.

To say that we are not capable of learning a college level class in the time given us, is insulting. We are underestimated in our conviction that we will succeed in everything we attempt, and underestimated in the level of our intelligence. Who are you to tell us that we cannot achieve our goals because they are too high and unrealistic? How can we realize our full potential is if we are not allowed to try? We are striving for our “virtu”, in the words of Italian Humanists. How can America pull ahead of other countries in education, if America does not believe in her students? So challenge us we say, challenge us with the hardest classes you dare give us, be it AP, IB, etc., and we will proudly seize the day.


The author's comments:
I am proud to be an intelligent young woman who learns for the sake of learning.

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This article has 53 comments.


on May. 19 2013 at 11:41 am
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Yeah my school offers AP Psychology and it looks really interesting but for some strange reason they reserve that class for people who aren't taking a bunch of AP classes which rules me out.  DX  Our school doesn't have CC classes so my only options are AP and IB classes.  Good luck with your schedule!  I'll be a senior next year too.

on May. 18 2013 at 6:32 pm
YozoraK PLATINUM, Maumelle, Arkansas
21 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life for you has been less than kind/So take a number/Stand in line/We've all been sorry/We've all been hurt/But how we survive/Is what makes us who we are." -'Survive' by Rise Against

My school offers AP Biology, AP Chemistry, APUSH, AP Music Theory, and AP Statistics.  I wished they offered some of the classes I saw on the AP Exam Test Schedule (I SO want to take AP Psychology and AP Japanese Language/Culture).  However, my school is really small, so I don't get the opportunity to take some of these classes.  However, my school offers CC classes, or Concurrent College classes, which allow us to take classes that one would take in college and recieve the credit and the hours, thus saving money.  So far I've only taken one AP class, but I've taken CC Theatre Appreciation and CC Music Appreciation, but next year (I'll be a senior), I'm going to be taking CC World Literature, CC Algebra, and CC Math.  I don't plan on taking CC World Civ because history doesn't suit me, and my school unfortunely doesn't offer CC Psychology....

on May. 18 2013 at 6:26 pm
YozoraK PLATINUM, Maumelle, Arkansas
21 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life for you has been less than kind/So take a number/Stand in line/We've all been sorry/We've all been hurt/But how we survive/Is what makes us who we are." -'Survive' by Rise Against

I'm just finishing my junior year in a school that offers AP ad CC (Con-Current College) classes.  Because I transferred in the middle of the school year last year, I wasn't able to take any AP classes, yet this year I took AP US History.  At first I was excited to take this class, yet it as it turned out, my teacher taught us how to take the test, but not any of the material.  I'm not sending my AP exam scores to any college because I am not confident in my ability to score well on this test.  Yet I am taking the AP exam anyway to get the weighted grade because after all, I spent an entire year in the class, and I will get the full benefits of the experience, no matter how poor it was.  Next year though, I've signed up for a bunch of CC classes and AP Music Theory (which is taught by my favorite teacher who knows what she is talking about), so I definitely believe it is worth the sacrifice as long as the instructor is teaching the material correctly.

on Apr. 16 2013 at 7:41 pm
ycd981110 SILVER, Noblesville, Indiana
7 articles 1 photo 9 comments
I agree with you. I'm going to be a freshman next year and I'm planning on taking some Honor and AP classes to learn more in school.

on Apr. 2 2012 at 10:33 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Oh, I see.  But still, that's pretty cool you have to admit.  You have the basics to become a linguist! :)

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Apr. 2 2012 at 10:31 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I don't know four languages- I just have rudimentary French, Arabic and the Algerian dialect. It's very simple. Things like: Can I get juice? 

on Apr. 2 2012 at 10:12 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

ROFLZ, that's so cool!  I wish I knew four languages.... D:  Anyway, I had the greatest time with her.  The crazy thing is, I've been speaking French so often with her that now my English has a French accent!  It's so weird!

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Apr. 2 2012 at 9:30 am
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

That always happens with me and my aunt. My aunt lives in France and speaks a little bit of English, but mostly French, Arabic and the Algerian dialect.

I know the basics of the Algerian dialect, a bit of French, a bit of Arabic and English.

It's SO funny because the way we talk to talk to each other- one sentence can be literally in four different languages. It makes sense to only my family! :)


on Apr. 1 2012 at 12:14 am
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

I just picked up the foreign exchange student that I'm going to host for a few days.  She's great!  She's from Guadeloupe, it's part of France.  Our conversations are hilarious each of us trying to figure out what the other is saying.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 31 2012 at 8:15 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

Cool! My school has lots of cool electives you can take like Journalism and Consitutional law but I'm taking APs instead so...

on Mar. 20 2012 at 7:44 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

For senior year I think I'll be taking Government and Econ as well as a History of America class.  I'm not all the sure about it yet though.  The IB program is all weird though, the rules changed this year and it screwed up my schedule.  I'm not happy about it... D:<

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 20 2012 at 4:48 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I mean, same way I feel about APUSH! History is my thing! :)

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 20 2012 at 4:46 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I know! Same thing I hear about APUSH!

on Mar. 19 2012 at 5:54 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

ROFLZ.  It's only open to sutdents pursuing a full IB diploma at my school.  The funny thing is, they keep grilling us about how hard Philisophy class is, and I'm just like, this is my thing.  This is what I LIKE learning about.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 19 2012 at 9:04 am
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

The only reason I am doubing up in math is because if I don't, I'll only have math for half of the year due to the semester scedule and then I'll forget all of it.

Philosophy? Gasps in Jealously.

We don't have that class at my school! And I thought my school had everything...


on Mar. 15 2012 at 8:18 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

LOL, math BLEH.  I really like history so I'm excited to take APUSH.  But the class I'm most excited for I think I've told you already. PHILOSOPHY.  XD That's going to be so much FUN...

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 15 2012 at 10:05 am
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

That's so cool! Wish my school had something like that...

We just have honors classes and APs.

I was thinking of doing APUSH sophomore year instead of junior year, then decided against it because I needed an elective to cool me off after all of the math and languages I'm thinking to take. :)


on Mar. 10 2012 at 7:11 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

International Baccalaureate, it's a more humanties based program but has a math and science side as well if you are interested.  It's a highly intensive program extending from your junior year to senior year.  IB classes are similar to AP classes in the sense that if you take the test, it counts for college credit, except on an international scale.  If you complete full-IB and not just partial, you recieve an IB diploma.  It's a pretty good way to get yourself into a prestigious college.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 9 2012 at 8:49 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I'm thinking of taking APUSH next year! :)

What's IB? How does your school work?


Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 5 2012 at 4:10 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

My sister makes fun of me and everything I do. But when the time comes, she's very supportive. Hmm. Agreed. :)