May is college finals and AP exam season, and it’s often one of the most intense times of the year for AP students. Here at Terryville High School, AP exams start on May 1st and end on May 10th. The AP courses offered here at Terryville include AP United States Government and Politics, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP United States History, AP Calculus AB, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, and AP Biology.
In AP United States Government and Politics, students learn about their civil rights and duties as a United States citizen, they learn about how our government functions on both a state and federal level, and they also learn about how politics work in the United States. AP United States History covers the history of the United States, starting from when North America was first discovered up to modern day. AP United States History is one of the most rigorous AP courses that Terryville High School offers, but despite the stress you may feel while taking the course, former students we spoke with report it really does help prepare students for the stress and workload of college courses. The third AP option for History lovers is actually AP Psychology. Another challenging course, but an interesting one. This course centers on the biology of the human brain, and it focuses on how and why we do what we do. Part of the course is also sociology, which many students find to be the most interesting part because it teaches you why people act the way they do.
The math department offers two APs: AP Calculus AB and AP Stats. In this course, students cover the entirety of Calculus I and learn everything from limits to integrals. It’s a very difficult class for obvious reasons, but if you plan on going into a field that requires you to study math in college, I would recommend that you take this course. AP Statistics is another good course for you to take if you are interested in going into a career or major involving math. This course introduces students to major concepts in statistics such as collecting and analyzing data.
AP Computer Science Principles is an excellent Unified Arts/STEM option for an AP class at Terryville High School. This class introduces students to the very basics of computer science, teaching them how computers work. Students learn how to use Scratch and Python, which are basic coding languages, to learn how to make their own programs. The exam for this class is unique, because it has both a create task and a multiple choice test. The create task involves students creating their own program and writing about how it works. This class was one of my favorites to take because it was extremely satisfying to be able to see tangible results of my hard work.
Another AP that our school offers is AP Biology. In AP Biology, they study the biological processes of the human body and how it functions. If you are interested in pursuing a science related field that involves biology, these courses are for you.
In English, we have AP English Language and Composition. Students learn how to write different types of essays, including synthesis, argumentative, and rhetorical analysis in this course. Students learn how to write quickly and efficiently. On the exam, you have to write all three essays and do a multiple choice exam. As sore as my wrist was after I took that class, I highly recommend it if you are going into any career involving writing. This class will improve your writing, and I’d say that it’s worth all of the time that you have to dedicate to it. Next year, we are bringing back AP Literature and Composition as well.
AP Lit is for motivated students with a command of standard English, an interest in exploring and analyzing challenging classical and contemporary literature, and a desire to analyze and interpret dominant literary genres and themes with a focus on literary analysis and writing with a variety of purposes to increase precision in expression. Reading consists of four major categories: Poetry, Drama, Fiction, and Essays.
One of the benefits of AP classes, and the main reason that many people take it, is that if you score high enough, you can get college credits for the class. Another benefit is that it looks good on a college resume and applications, because it shows that you are willing to take initiative and challenge yourself. AP courses are stressful, but they are often worth it. I recommend that you take AP classes that interest you, and that you take them because you are interested. They are stressful, so know your limits but also be willing to push yourself. They are a great way to improve yourself both academically and mentally.