Should Students Be Completely Done With AP Classes After AP Tests

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CT Wilcox

As a senior in high school, specifically one in several AP classes, I have felt like I am showing up to school to do nothing ever since my AP tests finished during the middle of May. It is now early June, and with only a few days left of school I asked myself, “If I hadn’t been at school these last three weeks would it have made any difference?” In my opinion the answer is, “No, there wouldn’t be any difference,” but if that's the case why am I still showing up to school?

I interviewed three AP students regarding this controversial question and each one of them answered, “No of course we shouldn’t have to come to school.” One student even said, “I took a nap during my first two blocks because I had nothing to do.” A second student said, “I haven’t done anything in my first block AP class for the past month. We have literally only watched movies or sat on our phones all hour.” The consensus is clear: many students find their AP classes nothing more than a joke after the AP tests are done.

If students collectively share such negative thoughts about showing up to their AP classes after the AP tests are done, what is holding them back from just skipping these blocks? First, many teachers require small projects that involve simple but tedious busy work which keeps the students “busy,” but doesn’t teach them anything else about the class. Also, for students who aspire to go to university, having poor attendance is a bad look to have when applying for college. Even though these students are doing little to nothing beneficial during their AP class periods at the end of the school year, it still harms them in regards to their attendance.

The simple solution is to not require students to be in their AP classes after their AP tests are finished. This way they can start working a job during these periods, get extra sleep in the morning, or work on their other class work that isn’t from AP classes. This would also not harm student’s attendance because they wouldn’t have to be there anyway.