By Sara Casareto ’16

The definition of “advanced placement” according to dictionary.reference.com is as follows: “the placement of a student in a high school course that offers college credit if successfully completed.” As a student who will have completed ten AP courses by graduation, I’ve realized that APs are worth more than the credit awarded. It’s important for students to take the most challenging classes offered to them so they can maximize their learning and knowledge.

An AP class is recognized as the most challenging level at which a course can be offered at Sherwood. For example, there is on-level Biology, Honors Biology and AP Biology. AP classes are overall more rigorous and simply harder than on-level or honors classes. However, it is absolutely worth the extra work. Students often complain about seemingly pointless “busy work,” but in AP classes, there is little time for busy work, as the classes are fast-paced and there is a lot to absorb by AP exam-time in May. The classes are generally more productive and more academically stimulating. School is meant for learning, and if students are not pushing themselves, then they cannot expect to learn. AP courses are mentally challenging and push students to focus and put forth their best effort.

Students not only acquire knowledge on the course topics, but also useful college skills. When I considered signing up for AP Language and Composition, my 10th grade English teacher, Mrs. Lock, said the course was going to be an incredible amount of work and would be the most challenging course students would take their junior year, but ultimately, it would be worth it. She was correct. That course and other AP courses taught me how to develop college-level skills.

AP Language taught me how to write at a college level and how to formulate my thoughts in various writing styles. AP World History then utilized those skills to teach me how to use documents and outside sources to support an idea and develop an analysis. AP Statistics this year has been incredibly helpful in the sense that the math I learned in the classroom is applicable to other classes such as biology, sociology, psychology and economics. Also, if I were to plan on doing research of any sort in the future, or if I planned on having a business or working in business, I must understand basic principles of statistics as well as know how to properly write a research paper or a business plan.

Ultimately, it is important for students to take courses that they will thrive in. However, if one can take an AP class, he or she should not opt out just because it is “too much work.” In the long run, that work will pay off.