Every year students compile testimonies from previous AP class students, some to find the easiest AP classes and for others to discover a challenge, and over the years there always seem to be a few courses students consistently warn others against as they tell horror stories of scary teachers and tortuous projects.
AP Physics 2 is the most notorious class for breaking the back and soul of the student that enrolls. Although there is not much homework, the concepts and formulas alone are enough to drop the course. The course requires a deep understanding of subjects you have only heard of in “Oppenhiemer”- such as quantum and nuclear physics, as well as formulas with symbols you never knew existed. Students also complain about the deep comprehension necessary for each topic and problem.
“You can’t just understand the formulas, you need to understand the concepts behind the formulas, and it’s not like you get a question and you can just apply an equation to it, you need to understand the question on a fundamental level” said Arman Royai, a senior who has taken an impressive 14 AP classes and ranks AP physics 2, AP Lit, and AP Calc BC as some of the toughest AP classes.
AP Chemistry is only taken by those who made the grave mistake of thinking it would be as easy as honors Chemistry. Many students gain hope when they hear that an 86% is curved up to an A, but after experiencing synthesis tests students quickly realize why Mr. Taylor curves so heavily. Many tests are based on multiple chapters, and although this means less tests it also puts more significance on each test, making it bitter-sweet. AP Chemistry also requires extensive note taking as the year covers many honors chemistry topics but in far greater detail, covering complicated subjects such as thermodynamics..
“I think [AP] Chemistry is the most difficult,” said Landon Aust, a junior who is taking on the intense workload of many AP classes this year, “The amount of studying you have to do outside of the class to keep up with the work. In Chem it’s really required to take extensive, extensive notes.”
Only the toughest survivors from AP Calc AB move on to AP Calc BC and live to tell the tale. Although the workload of this class is lighter compared to other AP classes, since homework and most problems are optional, Alexander Allen, who teaches AP Calc BC, recommends students come well prepared for his class as it is a fast paced class with complex units. “For those students who want to skip things, like not taking AB or taking online math classes, you might be okay,” said Allen, “But those students often struggle a lot and they either drop the class or they have to put a tremendous amount of work in to catch up.”
AP Lit is reserved for only those who are ready to sacrifice their entire life to reading and writing. The workload is incomparable to other classes and requires a deep love of literature to survive as the sheer amount of pages to be read can be overwhelming. The amount of timed writes will also give you a heart attack as you scramble to come up with a somewhat cohesive thesis while fighting against the 45-minute timer. Mr. Ireland, who teachers AP Lit, says most students struggle with the many essays that he requires students to write, as he doesn’t give much direction and lets his students take creative initiative, posing a unique struggle for many.
“What I do in AP Lit class because it’s more based is I actually don’t tell you what to write about,” said Ireland, “So you’re like what do I write about, and what if what I want to write about sucks?”
AP Biology is far from the amateur biology class all freshmen take. With its heavy content, the class requires great memorization skills and a deep understanding of concepts on a molecular level. AP Bio is full of labs and data analysis, making a lot of the class a hands-on experience. Students will have to recall information from their freshmen biology class as well as some of their chemistry knowledge from the year prior. Cynthia Sevin, who teaches AP Bio, said the hardest unit is the genetics unit.
“Be ready for a challenge. Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” Sevin said. “We want you to understand. And be willing to put in the time.
Although these courses are extremely rigorous, the suffering is not for nothing as most students do well on the AP exam, and despite what many say, with enough sweat, stress, and tears most students manage to get a B. However, the key thing to doing well in these classes can not be achieved through sheer will unfortunately. The amount of overnighters and cram sessions won’t matter in the end unless you have a genuine interest in the subject.
“From what I’ve experienced, if you’re passionate about what class you’re taking you’re gonna do well in it,” said Jafar Naqvi, a senior. “If you’re genuinely interested in it and you take time outside of class to learn about it, it becomes way easier than if you were peer pressured into taking it with your friends.”
