The AP Scholars Program

By Sidney Kane

Sentry Staff Reporter

 

There is a new program coming to Yorktown next year for all those rising ninth grade geniuses. It is called the Advanced Placement Scholars, emphasis on the AP. Basically, it is a four year course of intensified classes, involvement of other programs, a huge extra project with a reflection paper, and lots of deadlines. It is designed for students who want to go further than the average freshman and develop their interests. The point of this is the possibility of earning a College Board Honors, which are of course determined by your AP scores.

Those in the program must do six or more AP courses within tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade as well as at least two intensified ninth grade classes. A B or better must be maintained throughout all courses. Enrichment activities must be attended at least two times per year as well as meetings with a coordinator. A personal multi-year project must be completed by senior year with a brief two to three page reflection paper. Its content must focus on at least one discipline, such as English, science, math, the arts, social studies or world languages.

Personally, I think this is manageable for the right type of student. Sure, I take intensified classes and am aiming for an advanced diploma, but I guess I am just that type of person. This program is not designed to burden you with an unbearable amount of work or a skyrocketing amount of stress. It is just meant to push you a bit further into knowledge.

However, with all these intensified courses that you must keep at least a B in, expect a slightly bigger workload than other freshmen in regular classes. However, with great time management and a controlled schedule, the workload is doable. Depending on the intensified classes you take, you probably will not have an impossible amount of homework. It probably will not be more than a few hours each night.

From personal experience, high school is already hard enough to transition to from middle school. This is a whole new environment with so many new things to get used to. Again, if you are the type of person who loves a challenge and is ready, you will be fine.

There is also the pressure from parents to consider. Of course they want us to succeed, have great things to add to college applications, get great jobs and futures and all that, but is this really necessary? There are other types of diplomas students can go after, including another intensified, and those are as equally manageable. After all, school is not everything, although sometimes I do admit that our lives revolve around it.

A downside to this is that it is a four year program, so all current high school students are not eligible. Even if someone were to meet these requirements, they cannot get any of the honors or achievements offered. Only rising freshmen can participate. This is a bitter disappointment to those who would want to be a part of this but cannot because of only a couple years difference. I know a lot of people who would have loved to apply to be in the program because they were already planning on taking the required classes anyway.

Considering all the factors and requirements of this program, I believe it is completely manageable for the right student. If you are a seriously dedicated and committed student who is willing to jump that extra mile and a half, I say go for it.

Story continues below advertisement
Leave a comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *