AP courses are a student’s worst nightmare, or are they? When asked about AP classes, Courtney Horton, an assistant principal at BJ, states that AP classes are used “as an opportunity to allow students to push themselves in a different manner, all while getting college credit.” The main purpose of AP courses is to help students develop important skills, all while giving students a chance to pass classes without having to take them in college. The rigorous courses are offered at most schools and have many students applying for them and they gained a reputation of being horribly hard from the many students that took them. But are they really that hard?

Many students who take AP courses believe that the courses, while they are difficult, are fun to take. Analeise Wasenius, a freshman, said,“The classes are fun and have lots of people committed to the subject in them.” The classes are not only fun, but they give students a way to gain college-leveled skills before entering. Students develop helpful study habits and the ability to solve the difficult problems and work that colleges offer.

AP courses help student prepare for college, but sometimes they can hurt students instead of help. Kylee Henrie, a junior, said, “I feel like there is a large workload and taking two at the same time is overkill. Like, it’s killing me. There is so much work.” Many AP students end up becoming more stressed than students in regular classes. Some students end up staying awake most nights just to get their AP homework done. Piling on homework from other classes and extracurricular activities, most AP students end up getting little to no sleep at night.

These courses also require a lot of money. In the past, students could earn some of that money back by passing the test and getting paid up to $100, but that is no longer the case.

AP courses are a good way for students to improve their study habits before entering college, but they can sometimes be unsuitable for the student. Horton concluded by saying: “I think only a student could answer that for themselves because everyone knows what they can handle. One kid might be able to handle five AP classes, but one person might be only able to handle one. I think it just depends on the person.”

AP classes are not for everyone. Every student should decide for themselves whether or not whether he or she can handle them.