By Catherine Darin
Staff Writer

For many WA students, the fourth quarter means the spending less time on schoolwork, and more spending more time enjoying the weather and preparing for summer. However, for those student enrolled in AP classes, the first few weeks of the quarter are more stressful and daunting than ever because of the upcoming AP exams in May.

At WA, AP courses are generally considered as challenging as it gets. With a wide range of course offerings – from core classes like English and Math, to electives like Computer Science and Music Theory – every student can find an AP class to their liking. However, AP students agree that although intellectually stimulating, there are definite cons to taking these courses. Junior Mustafa Buxamusa explains that, “You have to spend a lot more time on specific subjects and less time on others. It’s really fast paced because you have to cram all 30 to 50 chapters of stuff for the exam. It’s a lot faster paced than the sister honors class.” But even with the large work load, many students feel more independent in their AP classes and that they are doing less ‘busy work.’

So why sign up? Buxamusa chose to enroll in two AP classes to demonstrate his commitment to his education. He explains, “AP classes are just more fast paced and serious than honors classes. I signed up to challenge myself, which is what colleges want to see. They want to see that you are taking advantage of what your school offers by completing rigorous coursework.”

Another common reason for signing up is to gain college credit for doing well on the exam. To get credit, a student usually needs to score at least a 3 out of 5. Senior Nikita Desai sees her 5 AP classes as an opportunity to earn college credit, which may even allow her to graduate early and consequently save money on college tuition. In an age when college is more expensive than ever, there is a huge incentive for doing well on these exams.

But even after spending 9 months in a demanding course for the subject, the exams are still daunting for many students. The exams, usually around 3 hours long, require both in-depth knowledge of the subject and strong reasoning abilities. Because of this, many students calm nerves by preparing well in advance. Buxamusa explains that he felt worried at first, but after beginning to read review books in early April, he gained much more confidence. Similarly, Desai cites “Barrons, and Princeton Review” to be her go-to guides for the weeks before exams.

Although time-consuming and challenging, AP classes are a rewarding experience. For those who love to learn, AP classes delve further into topics in comparison to other classes and foster more analytical thinking. Some WA alumni even claim AP classes to be more difficult than college courses. In addition to preparing students for college level thinking, there is also the obvious appeal of potentially earning credit for doing well on exams. So for those students sign up for exams – study, study, study!