AP Courses Through the Lens of a Layman

To take an AP or not to take an AP...

Such a dilemma constantly left me preoccupied every time I had to begin looking at scheduling for my next year's classes. As I reflect upon the AP courses I have taken throughout my high school career, I began to observe a few key insights.

To begin, I have taken a total of 13 AP courses.

1. AP Human Geography
2. AP Environmental Science
3. AP Chemistry
4. AP Biology
5. AP Physics 1
6. AP US History
7. AP World History
8. AP US Government
9. AP Psychology
10. AP Calculus BC
11. AP Statistics
12. AP English Language and Composition
13. AP English Literature

Difficulty

In terms of difficulty, I found that STEM courses usually were much harder. The easiest courses were your typical courses for incoming freshman such as Human Geography and Environmental Science. Now, do not be so discouraged over the difficulty of these courses. Your teachers are there to help so take advantage of them! Ask questions and do not hesitate in wanting to clarify a certain concept that is still intangible. 

Work Load

Granted, your work load for AP courses may vary among schools. However, do not feel overwhelmed over the amount of work that is due ahead. Instead, take it one-by-one and spread out your work throughout the week to make it more manageable. Time management is key here and is often underestimated 99.9% of the time. 

Studying for the AP Exam

Start studying and reviewing what you learned in your classes as early as possible for that inevitable AP exam that looms every May. Such method will help you spend less time studying the concepts and more time on practicing FRQs and multiple choice questions provided by the College Board. I have often found the Feynman Technique to be the most practical and efficient way in understanding the material (I still use this technique even in college!). 

Long Run Benefits (?)

To much disappointment, I have found the AP courses itself to carry no long-lasting benefits that have carried with me into college. Perhaps the AP score after you have taken the exam is the benefit you look for. However, I felt that AP courses do not accurately reflect the level of expectation and difficulty students would deal in universities. At most, the courses I have taken trained me to manage my time efficiently and minimize procrastination. But to think that your classes in college will consist of the same structure and examination like the AP courses are nothing but naive.