Most students at Erie High School are transitioning from grade level classes to AP classes and are concerned about the excessive amount of time and work that goes into AP classes, also known as: The Advanced Placement Capstone program and EHS have many resources and advice to help students succeed. 

Claire Nguyen, a student at EHS with a 4.3 GPA introduces the fact of, “I can get a lot of college credit if I do good on the tests, and that means I don’t have to pay as much money when I go to college”.

The AP Capstone program at EHS is the most prestigious educational program that helps students boost their GPA and gives college credit. College Board is the website most of the AP classes use. 

“College Board questions are so different and sometimes they’re worded super tricky. So the more experience you have with them, the less likely you are to be tripped up on the actual exam” from Kaitlyn Gentert, one of the AP Human Geography teachers. 

College Board uses a different grading system, and is where students would submit practice assignments and some midterms. Teachers can assign practice questions for you to complete that are similar to the questions on the AP test to give you a little bit more practice. 

Gentert suggests, “my advice would be incredibly organized. Take good notes from your textbook. Instead of just writing exactly what you see in your textbook. I want you to read something and then write what you thought about it. That’s going to help you retain it”. 

The biggest piece of advice many in an AP class would tell you is to take good notes. If you do your work and try to understand what you’re writing down, the test will be easier than if you don’t. If you’re struggling to understand the content, ask your teachers or peers. 

Tori Curtis is an AP seminar teacher, and of all people she truly understands the worry that occurs when it comes to asking questions. “Talk to your teachers. It’s literally our job to help you. So please don’t feel intimidated about asking me a dumb question”.

Teachers greatly emphasize asking questions to better student’s understandings. Teachers here at EHS are very understanding and honestly just want to see you succeed. Therefore the key to understanding a concept fully in these AP classes is to ask questions and don’t be afraid of the unknown. 

“My biggest piece of advice is to make sure you like the AP class that you’re taking … Sometimes, like if you don’t like the topic you’re not going to do good in the class,” Nguyen voices. 

Most students are more motivated to do their work if they are interested in what they are doing. The result of getting your work done will increase your chance for good grades! AP classes are not as bad as many perceive them to be. Do your work, take notes, ask questions and you will excel.