With rostering season on the horizon, Mounties are finding themselves asking all the important questions. Many get caught up in which teachers are teaching or others shy away when they hear about the daunting workload. 

When picking out your classes for the upcoming school year it is important to focus on what is best for you, and to truly recognize what you can — or maybe cannot — handle. If you are looking for answers to all of your AP and honors classes questions, look no further. Today, we are here to share upperclasswomen’s do’s and don’ts when it comes to all things AP. 

AP Literature: The program of study defines this class as “an opportunity to experience literature and writing at a more advanced level.” We caught up with senior Kate Tannenbaum ‘24, who is currently taking the course. Here is what she had to say:

“Stay organized because it’s definitely a lot of work and if you don’t stay on top of things you can get really behind, really fast.”

She also spoke on the importance of looking to your classmates for support because everyone understands the difficulty of the class and is willing to take off some of the burden. 

AP Psychology: “A college level course for seniors who are interested in advancing their knowledge of behavior and mental process of humans and other animals”—Program of Study. The class is very fast-paced and lecture-based. There is definitely a lot of outside work and memorization, but if you are interested in the material this is a good class to take. 

AP Government and Politics: U.S. This class is designed to give students a critical perspective on politics and government in the United States.The class is lecture and discussion based with lots of memorization of terms and court cases. Though there was not a significant amount of homework, the course still requires effort. People who are interested in politics, law and discussions would benefit from taking this class.

AP United States History: “This course is designed to allow the student to build on the foundation acquired in United States History through an in-depth study of significant events and movements in U.S History” —Program of Study

 “Maybe wait till your junior year to take the class because I was not fully prepared for the jump from a college prep class to an AP class,” Ava Vavra ‘24 said. 

Counselor Ms. Kaminski agrees with Vavra’s point that it is important to make sure you are prepared for the jump from college prep to AP courses. She emphasized that the intensity, class pace, and overall required effort is significantly different between the two levels. Maybe consider taking an honors class before diving head first into AP levels.