For many students, the weeks leading up to AP exams are very overwhelming. The amount of content and the expectation carried can both create a lot of stress. Most students tend to take multiple APs throughout their educational career. As exam dates approach these individuals, the workload becomes very difficult to manage, especially alongside personal responsibilities. Students not only have to remember information from a whole semester but also apply it to essays. The pressure to perform well on these tests often comes from parents or peers who emphasize the importance of passing AP exams.
AP exams are beneficial for several reasons. They provide the opportunity to earn college credits, which can save students both time and money in the future when pursuing college. The preparation for the exams themselves also helps with developing skills like time management, critical thinking and self determination.
Junior Sheza Khadijah said, “Studying for AP exams is extremely stressful; however, I do think AP exams are beneficial because I won’t have to take those classes in college since I get the credits from the exams.”
However, AP exams aren’t always beneficial. Not all colleges accept AP credit, and even if they do, the required scores may be unattainably high. Furthermore, the stress associated with AP exams may outweigh the advantages because students may sacrifice their well being for high scores.
Overall, AP exams can be both beneficial and overwhelming, so it depends on the individual to decide for themselves whether it’s worth taking an AP class or classes. This is because it’s dependent on the students academic goals, colleges they want to attend, and also the workload they can handle.
The Dale News from Farmingdale State College announced, “Even the college professors here mostly know that Advanced Placement courses and tests aren’t helpful to those who don’t have the drive for it.”
While the opportunity to pursue advanced coursework can be incredibly beneficial, they also place heavy workload and pressure on students.
