As college applications start to close, colleges closely examine what seniors have on their high school transcripts to determine if they’re a good fit for their institution and what courses are taught. A significant factor on their transcripts is the number of Advanced Placement (AP) classes they took and their scores on the corresponding AP tests. But have you ever thought about the workload and pressure these students have while taking AP classes?
We interviewed Nia Spice, a sophomore at Lafayette High School, to discuss the workload and other aspects of taking AP classes. Spice first answered what the most challenging parts of an AP class are. “Probably the workload. I picked four AP classes this year, and so I literally do not have one day where there is no homework.” She also answered how many hours of homework she has each night. “Probably 2-3 hours putting all of the homework together.” She even stated that she is uncertain about how many APs she plans on taking and what she will take next. Spice said, “I don’t know, I didn’t even plan on taking four this year. But I will probably end up taking a bunch more. I know I want to take AP research. And that’s the only one that I’m certain about. Probably take A-Push.”
Researchers have also come to some conclusions about which AP classes are the most difficult. According to College Advisor, the hardest AP class is Physics 1, while AP Drawing and AP Research are considered to be the easiest. But, these really depend on the person and their knowledge and skill in the class beforehand. According to Fiveable, the AP classes with the highest pass rates are AP Art & Design: Drawing (84.70%), AP Research (84.40%), AP Spanish Language (83.90%), and AP Art & Design: 2D (83.70%). AP classes can also be crucial, depending on what type of college you plan on going to. Stated by Ivy Max, “if you are looking to apply to an Ivy League school, they usually tend to look for 10-12 APs. But if you are planning to apply to a state school or a school with a higher selection, 2-4 would be enough.” So if this information interests you in taking an AP, College Readiness writes, “students, especially those in demanding AP courses, are bound to experience some level of high school stress. This is expected, and a little bit of AP exam stress can actually benefit students because it pushes them to perform to the best of their ability.” What these multiple pieces of evidence show is that the rigorous workload of AP classes shows that taking an AP class can be challenging, time-consuming, and stressful, but can be rewarding if you are looking to go to a top-tier school. From the evidence above, it shows that AP classes can be very demanding but also fulfilling with better knowledge, and it is good to take AP classes so you can get into a good university for yourself.
In summary, this research evidence and the interview with Spice suggest that the rigorous workload of AP classes can be challenging, time-consuming, and stressful, but can also be rewarding if one is looking to attend a top-tier school. If you are planning to stay in-state when you go to college, then a few AP classes may be for you. If you are planning to attend a better college out of state, taking multiple APs, although taxing, is recommended to increase your chances of admission.
