AP Classes Come with a Catch

by Olivia Snyder ‘12

Since when are juniors “free” the moment May hits? How is it that classes are considered “pointless” and therefore deemed “skippable” in those last weeks of school? And why is it that juniors develop “senioritis” when there’s still a good month of junior year left to complete?  My guess is AP classes.

The curriculum for most AP courses is centered solely around preparing students for the AP exam; therefore, as soon as AP exam weeks in early May roll around, those AP classes no longer have a point, as they have technically finished their purpose.

For the juniors with many such AP courses, the year feels essentially over. As for those juniors with just one AP, that feeling of freedom becomes contagious — once one class feels futile, other classes begin to feel the same.

This AP conundrum has lead to premature senioritis … characterized by dismal academic performance, shameless skipping, and an overall lack of effort and motivation. AP Classes: Be warned- for side effects may occur.