Taking AP exams can have both positive and negative effects on high school students. On the positive side, these exams encourage academic growth by developing critical thinking, time management, and study skills. High scores can lead to college credit and boost college applications by showing a commitment to challenging coursework. However, the pressure to succeed can also lead to high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout. In some cases, students may take on more AP classes than they can handle, negatively impacting their grades and mental health.
Braintree High student Abby Visser has taken several AP classes throughout her high school career and says she’s experienced both the perks and downsides of these rigorous exams.
“I definitely think it was really stressful, especially because two of my exams were right next to each other, so it was like an exam one day then go home and study for the next one. It was really stressful,” explains Visser.
Braintree High School’s AP Computer Science and Calculus BC teacher, Mrs. Squires, believes in the positive benefits of taking AP courses, which go beyond the material and focus on the overall experience.
“I think in a lot of cases, if the student knows they want to pursue that particular content with whatever the AP is that they’re taking, they get a preview of what the first year of college is going to look like for a lot of their academic classes. I know that College Board really looks into what the majority of colleges and universities will do in their first year, and model content around that,” explains Mrs. Squires.
Mrs. Squires believes that although these classes are difficult, most students choose to take them because they are genuinely interested in the topic.
“Calculus BC is the most difficult math class that we offer. And you don’t take that unless you really want to pursue something in math. When it comes to Computer Science, that’s also another specialty item that isn’t a requirement. You don’t have to take it but it’s if you’re interested in it and you want to possibly pursue this, this is a great introductory course.” says Mrs. Squires.
This kind of class can actually help prepare students for their first year of college.
“If you do well on the AP exams, you can bypass that class and just move onto whatever the next level is. It gives students an opportunity to move ahead and check off some of the items on the list.” states Mrs. Squires.
While there are several benefits to taking AP classes and the exams, Senior Danica Do
“I learned in some aspects, that I am very motivated and am very willing to sacrifice anything for a good grade,” Danica explains.
When Danica says that she is willing to “sacrifice anything,” this includes her healthy sleep schedule, proper eating habits, and even parts of her social life, all for the personal desire to perform well.
Mrs. Squires explains that in her AP classes, she places a strong emphasis on the test and preparing students for the final exam.
“We practice a lot. We practice from the beginning with all of the APs, we start doing a lot of review, a lot of cumulative stuff for Calculus. We specifically have every test starting in term two be cumulative. So everything back from day one.”
This method of teaching helps students retain the material and ensures they don’t forget what they’ve previously learned. It also relieves the pressure of having to review all the content on their own.
Mrs. Squires does believe in independent review, especially at the Advanced Placement level, but she aims to make the students’ job a little bit easier by bringing back previous content from earlier in the year.
Even with all the stress, both students and teachers agree that these tests do not define a student’s worth or intelligence. Some students are naturally good test takers, while others may understand the material well but struggle on the exam.
“I do not feel like the exams define my self worth because I know that I do well in my classes and there have been times when I know the content but do poorly on the exam or tests.” Danica says.
