Do Advanced Placement students think their classes are worth it? Here’s what they say

Hamasa Mashal is a junior at Turlock High School. This year, she is taking five AP classes: precalculus, U.S. history, chemistry, statistics and English language.

For her and many other students, these classes are important as they save money and let them earn college credit in high school.

“For me, this is something I want and need,” Mashal said. “Taking AP classes has opened this new world where I get to meet people every day and ultimately learn upon a concept on a deeper level. For AP classes, there are a great amount of sources out in the world that can help students be successful. With AP classes or not, I still have to attend school, so my goal is to create the best of my situation.”

With Advanced Placement courses, students can gain college credit if they pass a year-end test on the subject. All tests and courses are created by the nonprofit College Board , which also conducts SAT and ACT tests.

In addition, students receive a boost to their high school GPA.

Last year, almost 500 students took AP courses in the Turlock Unified School District and took over 900 tests in the spring. Around 73% passed their tests.

Mashal’s counselor recommended she begin AP classes in her freshman year with human geography. The course is on a branch of geography focusing on human behavior, interaction and cultures.

When she entered the course, she noticed it was a mix of 9-12 grade levels.

“I realize that if I did not have a talk with my counselor, I might not be the person who I am today,” Mashal said. “ ...I was just looking for a class to challenge me and one I could relate to the whole world.”

Madiha Haideri said she loves the rigor of her classes. The senior has taken AP courses since sophomore year.

“I was able to stay in challenging environments where I got to participate in various academic debates and discussions,” Haideri said. “Furthermore, AP classes gave me a chance at knowing what college classes would be like. Now, due to the level of rigor, I feel more prepared for college.”

Haideri realizes AP classes aren’t for every student and require time management due to their demands.

“Ever since middle school, I’ve been in specialized classes, so the adaptability hasn’t been too great of a challenge for me. However, I can definitely say that managing multiple AP courses has been a task that requires — only second to time management — adaptability,” she said.