Are students overloading themselves for nothing?
Bamberger manages an AP Chemistry lab due tomorrow. This is one of his most difficult classes this year.
Students throughout the years have always traditionally taken these heavier course loads, but for what reason? It seems as if these classes are taken solely because they are difficult. Some seniors and juniors at Beaverton may push themselves to the max. Others do not.
Students who choose to burden themselves often want to excel in college and beyond, and to enjoy themselves. “I am interested in AP classes, and it prepares you for college,” said senior Keira Johnson. “I also want to be challenged and I think it is very important to be challenged,” she said. “AP classes are also more interesting.”
Johnson is taking AP English Literature, AP Calculus BC, AP Environmental Science, and AP Spanish. “AP classes definitely impact college. You get to skip the remedial courses. This way, you can take the enjoyable classes. And it’s free education.” She said she thinks that AP is more challenging than regular classes, but also that it is important to have this challenge.
“[There is a] factor of college, college prep,” said Evan Hunter. He said he believes AP classes are not critical to college, but that they offer an advantage.
Though many would not envy Solomon Greenberg’s schedule as a junior, he hopes it will pay off and he will be accepted into an Ivy League school. “I am taking APUSH, AP Lang, Calc BC, Physics II, Tech TA, [and] Jazz Band,” he said. Greenberg also participates in the Robotics Club at SST and a club called Computer Vision. He hopes to bring back the programming club to Beaverton and is taking Vector Calculus at PCC.
“I enjoy the challenge, and the motivation of the people in AP classes,” said senior Josh Bamberger. “I don’t think any one [class] on its own would be that bad, but when you put a lot of things, it turns into a problem of balancing.”
Other students choose to take an easier schedule. “I chose a bunch of hard classes last year and it was kind of stressing me out, so I decided to go a little easier. [I] just wanna cruise through,” said Joshua Brougham.
It seems that AP classes can burn out students if they do not keep their school and personal lives balanced. The lesson to learn? Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
