Many people have no trouble skating through high school only taking on-level classes. And yet schools tend to offer more challenging courses in place of on-level, required courses. These courses allow high school students to challenge themselves in subjects they enjoy and, sometimes, receive college credit. Though more challenging courses may lead to more time spent on school rather than social life, in the end, the extra work pays off.
Advanced Placement courses provide high school students with the unique opportunity to take a class they have an interest in during high school and, if they pass the AP exam, they can use that credit to exempt from courses in college. Being able to exempt out of various required classes allows students to save much-needed money during their college years. Not only do these classes help students once they get to college, they teach students valuable study and stress techniques that will be beneficial throughout their high school career and life. These AP courses are the equivalent of a college-level course, which allows students to see how well they could actually handle a college-level class. For many students, the new challenges the courses bring allow them to thrive and find a passion for a new subject.
AP classes can be incredibly tough throughout the school year. But after the hard work is done, the results are incredibly rewarding. These classes push students beyond their comfort zone. Late nights spent trying to make a project absolutely perfect or read one more page in a textbook pay off when it comes to keeping a high grade in the class, passing a test, or passing the AP exam. Even when the school year concludes, the hard work put into the class is still evident all the way until July when AP scores are released. Finding out scores on AP classes and seeing all the late nights and hard work pay off bring an overwhelming sense of pride for hardworking AP students.
Challenging courses in high school may seem unnecessary or “too much work,” but they are completely worth it. AP courses give the challenge of college without the cost or stress of actually being in college. When considering if an AP course is really something to pursue, it is always better to push yourself to succeed than allow yourself to stay in your comfort zone.
