Advanced Placement classes take on a life of their own as Cal High students express their reasons behind taking on these challenging courses throughout their high school years.
With the harsh competition and on-going battle to get into college, many students take advanced classes to earn college credits so they won’t have to take those classes later.
This comes with the price of having to endure a class with a subject that could be far from interesting.
“I know a lot of people who are taking AP classes and don’t like them,” senior Nick Fajardo said. “I mean how much fun can AP Chemistry really be?”
Fajardo describes his least favorite class to be AP Econ because he’s not used to the new way of thinking.
AP Psychology teacher Susan Fitch said the motivation for AP students to take these challenging classes tends to be college while regular students are simply interested.
But interest can be the heart of what makes the AP student take a certain course.
“I like to take challenging classes in subjects that I like,” said senior Jon Akkawi. “If there was an AP Theatre class I’d probably take it.”
It’s more likely that students jumping into a class with a subject they are not completely interested in could actually become interested during the course of the year.
“I took (AP Euro) just because, but I ended up liking it,” said Akkawi who’s taking four advanced classes this year.
Students who stuck with classes they didn’t find very interesting said they were still worth taking.
“The teachers are more interesting than the subject.” said junior Mackenzie Vasquez.
The beneficial college credits, the atmosphere, and the teachers seem to have a lasting effect on these students, and often changes their minds about the course or the subject.
“(Barbara Farmer is) a good teacher. If we ask what needs to be improved she points out things that we never knew before,” said junior Sami Chang. “I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like AP art.”
These advanced classes hold multiple benefits. It’s a chance for students to grow and get their feet wet with what they may be doing as a career someday.
Fajardo describes his favorite subject to be AP Government because his goal is to be on the Supreme Court or become Secretary of State.
Students say that they tend to do better in the classes with a subject that interests them.
“One hundred percent (of the students) are interested because it’s an elected class, they all seem interested in it to me,” said Fitch. “Unless they’re fooling me and have good poker faces.”
Fajardo explained that students who hate the subject will hate the AP course, and if they love the subject then they will love the AP course.
Many students originally believe AP courses would move more quickly, but they soon learn the opposite is true because these classes go much more in depth.
The idea of going into an advanced class could be intimidating to some. Even if the subject was interesting to them, the thought of sitting in a classroom with advanced students and lesson plan dissuades many people.
But other students are willing to do anything for their education and future, even if it means sitting in an uncomfortable seat and enduring that unappealing science class.
