Skip to main content

Stressful now, worth it later

By

By Anna-Lynn Tamminga

“Hey, are you free to hang out after school today?”

“No, sorry, I have APs this week…”

This is the most common phrase heard under the copious stress of AP exams. It limits high schoolers from enjoying their lives and hanging out with friends during the last few weeks of school.

Fortunately for them, even though taking these AP exams may seem like a nightmare that only causes stress and keeps them from enjoying fun activities, it is actually very beneficial. AP exams are designed to help students build confidence, improve time management skills, and strengthen learning abilities. In a way, they prepare high school students for their next step: college or university.

Another significant advantage of taking AP exams is the opportunity to earn college credits. This is highly valuable because it allows students to demonstrate to colleges that they have already mastered certain material and subjects. Additionally, this can enable them to skip some courses they have proven proficiency in, ultimately saving them money on tuition.

At first, as a European coming to an international school with an American school system, the whole idea of AP exams made no sense to me. Why would you willingly take these difficult exams and sacrifice the precious time you could be spending with friends just to study for these so-called APs? I didn’t understand the purpose, as this school system is so different from what I was used to.

However, after doing some research, I discovered that AP exams are extremely useful for students. Taking AP exams can improve a student’s GPA, and this, in turn, allows them to skip finals for classes where their GPA is higher than 3.7. AP exams also help students build a stronger college application because they provide evidence of responsibility, intelligence, and strong learning abilities. This can make a positive impression on college admission committees, increasing the likelihood of acceptance.

In summary, even though AP exams may seem like they take away the joy of being a teenager and only cause stress and worry, there are many advantages to taking them. Students who take AP courses in high school can earn college credits, make a strong impression on college admission committees, and boost their confidence while developing effective study and time management skills.

Leaving for college doesn’t mean the fun of being a teenager ends; in fact, it’s just beginning. So why not take a few exams that can benefit you for years to come?

“The relief I felt after finally finishing my AP Bio made all the hard work worth it, and the best thing is that now that the APs are over, I still have enough time to hang out with my friends," said Yuan Tee (Grade 12).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DINGBAT DALAT STUDENT SPENDS PRECIOUS TIME CONJURING UP SELF-REFERENTIAL SENIOR SCRIBBLE RATHER THAN GATHERING LEGITIMATE WORK

By Anonymous
Yusoof Monawvil PENANG, MA - As the deadline drew near and the stars aligned in the night sky above the majestic waters of the Strait of Malacca, one particular Dalat student—Yusoof Monawvil (12), despite a plethora of school events to select and report on—opted instead to spend a remarkably well-wasted 24 minutes staring at a blank Google Docs page, fruitlessly drawing up and shooting down brainstormed ideas.  In a moment of sheer and undeniable epiphany, Monawvil deemed it only fitting to self-referentially satirize his own ingrained incompetence and dingbattery. Commenting on the flash of insight, Monawvil quoted himself, saying: “It all just kinda made sense. I went on DISCourse to look at the little rubric thing Ms. Grad and Mr. Hieber posted, and I checked if I was following all of the guidelines... And I technically am/was; [N]ot like there’s any specific direktive [sic] prohibiting self-quoting.”  In a turn of events, Monawvil did come to find his self-quoting en...
6 comments
Read more

"Spikeball, Swimming, and Sickness: The Remnants of Senior Sneak" by Ee Rynn Ong

By
“Guys, I think we’re here,” said Jonathan Ooi (12) as he peeked out of the lorry to catch the first glimpse of our Senior Sneak location. This year’s Senior Sneak was held in Nomad Adventure, Gopeng, and the organizers planned many activities for the Class of 2026, ranging from traditional games like congkak and batu seremban to adrenaline-pumping ropes courses and whitewater rafting. These scheduled activities proved to be some of the best highlights of the trip, but top of that, the seniors were also given some daily free time to chat, explore, and relax. Josh Stevens (12) had come prepared for this with two spikeball nets, which immediately attracted attention from people eager to spend time in the outdoor sun. The next five days saw spikeball veterans and newcomers alike, spending their precious one and a half hours daily around the unassuming circular net, smashing the yellow ball in hopes of a victory.  Caleb Evans (12) was one of the newbies to spikeball, learning how the g...
Post a Comment
Read more

“I Miss Her” by Nikhil Pillay

By
While most people had a fun week for mid-semester break, whether it was spent with family, or with friends on impact trips, no one had a more emotionally confusing week than Judson Kenneth Robert Nosker (12).  In the light of recent events, Judson, despite all odds, had gotten in a relationship with one of his classmates, and as the break started, he had started to spend a lot of time with her. While with her, he started to experience a new level of joy and completeness that he had never felt before. In the words of Judson Nosker, “The first half of the break was good, but the rest of it was horrible.”  The reason for such a quote and the roller coaster of emotion was because half way through the break, disaster had struck. Judson’s girlfriend had gone on a trip with her family to Thailand, leaving Judson all alone. For the rest of the week, Judson was in a state of longing for her presence.  His friends have reported numerous occasions when Judson would be sitting with t...
Post a Comment
Read more