In my personal experience, the AP class that I have taken has played an important role in my success sophomore year because of the GPA benefit that came along with it. Since AP classes count as a whole letter grade up in your GPA because they are graded on a 5.0 scale rather than the regular 4.0 scale, I was able to maintain a decent GPA even though I struggled with other classes.

AP testing is offered to students who took AP courses throughout the year. By scoring well on these exams, a student may or may not earn college credit and be exempt from that subject’s general education class. It all depends on the school that they choose.

According to College Board, the college credits earned from AP testing may allow students to save money on future tuition, study abroad or secure a second major. College Board is an independent organization that runs AP and cannot guarantee exemptions from classes because they are not actually part of any colleges.

AP courses also offer a wider range of material that is learned at a faster pace. They force students to find effective note-taking and study methods that prepare them for college.

“Outside of the college credit benefit, I think AP classes offer more serious students a deeper insight when it comes to material,” AP Human Geography teacher Mark Meyer said.

Not only are the students being challenged, but they are also learning to understand difficult concepts that apply to everyday life. The material covered in AP classes is usually harder and more in depth than that of a regular class.

“You learn more at a faster pace, and you are bored less often than you would be in a regular class. They are more mentally challenging, and they are more rewarding when you do well,” senior Betsy Mills said.

Hard-working students should be setting higher goals for themselves. They should be enrolling in AP courses to aid them in the future and have a better understanding of the world through all of the information they have learned in AP.