In the school year, 2023-2024, 381,057 students were in one or more Advanced Placement (AP) classes. 713,059 students took the exam. Only about half of those students passed.
What makes an AP class so hard to pass? Sophomore Likhita Kanneganti, who is currently taking five AP classes, thinks that it can be hard to find the motivation to do the work.
“It can be hard to pay attention,” Kanneganti said. “I keep getting distracted, just like being on my phone and not doing my work.”
Sophomore Gemma Adimora, who is currently in three Advanced Placement classes, shares a similar experience.
“Some days I’m really really focused, and other days, I feel like it happens to everyone where I’m just not focused,” Adimora said. “Some days it’s really easy and some days it’s really hard and I, like, die, but it’s okay.”
While they have different approaches on managing stress and schoolwork, both agree on one thing: an AP class is difficult, and procrastination doesn’t help.
“I don’t regret taking the classes,” Kanneganti said. “But I do wish I was better at time management and that I did more of my work in class so I didn’t have so much work at home.”
To avoid this, sometimes sacrificing your free time is necessary. Preparation is key, and avoiding doing work won’t help.
“Okay, so, I just make sure that I have all of my work, I just make sure I do all of my work,” Adimora said. “I use my weekends to my advantage and try not to procrastinate and get work done.”
She also makes sure that she is organized, which especially helps dealing with stress.
“So, one thing that I always like to do is like plan out my steps of action,” Adimora said. “If I’m stressed, I write out my plan and take it one step at a time. It makes me feel like I’m only doing one thing when I’m doing a lot.”
While many students took an advanced class to help them learn more about what interested them, or have to do with their desired career, some felt pressured to take them.
“I was worried that I’d fall behind compared to my other classmates, because I felt like, that a lot of people were moving up, and I didn’t want to fall behind,” Adimora said.
Some students took classes that had nothing to do with the field they hoped to enter in to, they just wanted to stay “ahead.”
“I did think that I had to take it because, honestly a lot of my friends are taking it as a sophomore for math,” Kanneganti said. “But for science, I really did like science. AP Chem, I take because I like science.”
Even freshman Anika Challa, who is in two AP classes, felt the need to get a head start so she wouldn’t fall behind her friends and classmates.
“I honestly did feel the pressure to take AP classes due to the competitiveness, but, on the other hand, I knew it would be a beneficial for me and a great opportunity,” Challa said.
On the flip side, AP US and World History teacher Mrs. Rachael Cummings, who didn’t have the opportunity to take any advanced classes when she was in high school, encourages students to challenge themselves, to a certain degree.
“Yeah, I mean challenge yourself, is it interesting for you?” Cummings said. “Stay, like I said, stay organized and don’t take on too much, but if it’s interesting and what you like, challenge yourself.”
And challenge themselves they do. All sources agree – they like the challenge.
“I think like the challenge, and I just like trying to test yourself to the best of your ability and seeing if you can pass,” Adimora said. “I think the challenge is fun and that’s the most interesting part to me.”
The difficulty may be what makes an Advanced Placement class so hard to pass, but it’s also what draws many students.
“I mean, I like taking harder classes,” Kanneganti said. “If someone tells me that this class is harder than this, I’ll take the harder one, even if my grade isn’t as good.”
All in all, it can be very rewarding for students, you just have to be willing to put in the work.
“I believe that AP classes are worth it as long as you also are capable of putting in effort for them,” Challa said. “They can be tough at times but it is very simple to overcome as long as you keep a positive mindset.”
