Meeting an academic challenge

Last school year, at the end of 10th grade, the time came to register for the courses I would be taking the next year, my junior year at Lawrence Woodmere Academy, when those grades are critical for college admission.

I was excited to finally be able to take Advanced Placement classes. These classes would not only boost my self-confidence because of their status as high caliber academic courses, but also would allow me to earn college credits while still in high school.

At my first meeting with my advisor, I was eager to sign up for as many AP classes as I could take … until I came face to face with the summer assignments for each class. Each time I addressed any one of the assignments, I thought to myself, “If this is how much work I will have over the summer, I wonder how much work I’ll have during the school year.”

All the warnings from upperclassmen about AP classes ran through my head. Finally, I decided that three AP classes during my most important year would not be the best choice for me, so I cut it down to two: AP History and AP English.

That first day of grade 11, I was a little overwhelmed looking at the syllabi my teachers handed out. I had to learn how to compare six different countries in my history class and learn how to write and analyze several different types of essays in my English class. Plus, I would need to earn a high score on both AP tests to earn the college credits.

Surprisingly, juggling my AP classes along with my other honors classes, extracurricular activities and college preparation courses was not as hard as it sounded in the beginning of the school year. In order to balance all of this, I sorted out my priorities and went to extra help during my free time.

Before I knew it I was breezing through essay prompts and spitting facts about countries around the world. Now, nearing the end of my junior year, I feel more confident than ever about succeeding in an AP class. Hopefully all the hard work pays off, and I am able to earn college credits.