Do AP classes really take up all that time?

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CruxisXIII

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#1 CruxisXIII
Member since 2008 • 763 Posts

going into junior year of high school taking 2 APs for the first time (US history and AP language and composition). Anyways, all I hear is how taking AP classes consume so much time. Well, how much time could they possibly take? I have a killer work ethic and my school works on block scheduling

Monday 1-6

Tuesday 2, (Tutorial period of 40 minutes of free time), 4 , 6

Wedensday 1, tutorial, 3, 5

and the same till friday with monday being the only day you have all of your classes. Anyways, I was just wondering to those who have taken APs, do they really suck out all the time of your life or is it a gross overexagerration?

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deactivated-5a79221380856

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#2 deactivated-5a79221380856
Member since 2007 • 13125 Posts
Only an AP English class I took was really time consuming for me. That was pretty much it.
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Cube_of_MooN

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#3 Cube_of_MooN
Member since 2005 • 9286 Posts
Well it really depends on your teacher and the course. But from my experience, a lot of the things you hear about them are overblown. Sure there is more work, but for the most part the classes really are not that bad.
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Raged_Soulja

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#4 Raged_Soulja
Member since 2008 • 616 Posts
Taking AP English Literature and AP US History (11th grade) YES! They consume so much of your time! Lots of reading and stuff. It's my third weeek of school and I have done so much crap! But the AP test YOU MUST PASS!!! If you don't we lose 3 hours of college credit for each class.
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CrimzonTide

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#5 CrimzonTide
Member since 2007 • 12187 Posts
I took AP Lang in high school, and what killed me was the summer homework. But the class wasn't impossible, even if it was time consuming.
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cametall

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#6 cametall
Member since 2003 • 7692 Posts

I guess it depends on the person. My AP class didn't take more than 2 hours a week out of my personal time (studying, homework, etc.) back in high school (that was 4 years ago).

A lot of people in AP probably shouldn't even be there anyways. I think if you have to spend 6+ hours studying per class, then you aren't bright enough to really be an AP student. Yeah it's twisted logic, but the speed and content at which an AP class moves/has shouldn't be overwhelming for the students that belong there. If you're having to spend that many hours to understand the material, then you obviously aren't bright enough for that AP class.

/rant...

EDIT: Now, those AP classes with a TON of homework, those teachers are BS. Even in the hardest college courses you receive almost no homework. Everything depends on 2 or 3 tests, not a ton of homework.

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StaindShadow

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#7 StaindShadow
Member since 2008 • 279 Posts
I have AP Language and composition. The year just started, so I can't say. My sister had the same class before, and it seemed like a lot of work. I can't say for sure, though. Ask me again in a few months. :P
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quiglythegreat

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#8 quiglythegreat
Member since 2006 • 16886 Posts
uh. I guess. I don't spend much time on any class. both those classes were my most time consuming, but that was an hour every now and then. it depends most largely on your teacher.
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needled24-7

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#9 needled24-7
Member since 2007 • 15902 Posts
I took AP Language and it was no more work than any other lit class I've taken.
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deactivated-5a4c1fedbd347

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#10 deactivated-5a4c1fedbd347
Member since 2006 • 1523 Posts
I'm taking 3 APs (AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, and AP Chemistry) this year and I'm going to be a junior too. I hope I don't have too much work, but I probably will.
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AlternatingCaps

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#11 AlternatingCaps
Member since 2007 • 1714 Posts

Taking AP English Literature and AP US History (11th grade) YES! They consume so much of your time! Lots of reading and stuff. It's my third weeek of school and I have done so much crap! But the AP test YOU MUST PASS!!! If you don't we lose 3 hours of college credit for each class.Raged_Soulja
I

I'm taking that this year. I took Euro History last year and I can honestly say that it wasn't that hard, it was just a lot of tedious work.

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ernie1989

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#12 ernie1989
Member since 2004 • 8547 Posts
I took an AP Studio Art class that pretty much got me working on artwork from 4PM to 10PM almost everyday and I eventually just dropped the class: the teacher just screwed people who actually turned in their work on time over, I was really lacking sleep, and I had almost no free time.
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gamer_marrik

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#13 gamer_marrik
Member since 2007 • 1705 Posts
At my school. Yes. Crazy teachers here though, and I have 8 classes every year so that doesn't help.
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DivergeUnify

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#14 DivergeUnify
Member since 2007 • 15150 Posts
I'm taking AP European History( I'm kind of tired of American history, honestly) and AP Language Comp. My first year taking AP's as well. So far English is taking up a bit of my time and I actually have to put effort into it/read any assignments I get. Just do your work, before play when you get home and you should be good
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DivergeUnify

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#15 DivergeUnify
Member since 2007 • 15150 Posts

[QUOTE="Raged_Soulja"]Taking AP English Literature and AP US History (11th grade) YES! They consume so much of your time! Lots of reading and stuff. It's my third weeek of school and I have done so much crap! But the AP test YOU MUST PASS!!! If you don't we lose 3 hours of college credit for each class.AlternatingCaps

I

I'm taking that this year. I took Euro History last year and I can honestly say that it wasn't that hard, it was just a lot of tedious work.

How did you like Euro, overall? I found everything after the Renaissance in World History last year, pretty interesting so decided I'd like Euro
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#16 FunkWeasel
Member since 2006 • 2508 Posts

I guess it depends on the person. My AP class didn't take more than 2 hours a week out of my personal time (studying, homework, etc.) back in high school (that was 4 years ago).

A lot of people in AP probably shouldn't even be there anyways. I think if you have to spend 6+ hours studying per class, then you aren't bright enough to really be an AP student. Yeah it's twisted logic, but the speed and content at which an AP class moves/has shouldn't be overwhelming for the students that belong there. If you're having to spend that many hours to understand the material, then you obviously aren't bright enough for that AP class.

/rant...

cametall

So true. AP classes aren't for the people who have to study hours to fit something in their brain. AP classes are for people who can absorb and adapt to information as they hear it. I took AP European History, I didn't read the textbook at all, I didn't study for any of the tests, and I recieved a 94% as my final grade, which really counted as a 104%. I even wrote the best DBQ in my class during AP test prep, and it was used as means to compare to other's work. The AP Test is BS though, my whole test was on the French, with really obscure questions. I scored a 3. Ironic because it was the only test I studied for. My overall experience was very good though, loved my teacher and thought he was very competent in his skills. Not to mention I got to make a 35 minute World War 2 movie about Operation Market Garden as my final project :).

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gorilazandgames

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#17 gorilazandgames
Member since 2006 • 7937 Posts
not unless you procrastinate like I always do... oh the all-nighters... so much fun! :):):)
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#18 fighter91
Member since 2005 • 1293 Posts

I guess it depends on the person. My AP class didn't take more than 2 hours a week out of my personal time (studying, homework, etc.) back in high school (that was 4 years ago).

A lot of people in AP probably shouldn't even be there anyways. I think if you have to spend 6+ hours studying per class, then you aren't bright enough to really be an AP student. Yeah it's twisted logic, but the speed and content at which an AP class moves/has shouldn't be overwhelming for the students that belong there. If you're having to spend that many hours to understand the material, then you obviously aren't bright enough for that AP class.

/rant...

EDIT: Now, those AP classes with a TON of homework, those teachers are BS. Even in the hardest college courses you receive almost no homework. Everything depends on 2 or 3 tests, not a ton of homework.

cametall

i was about to disagree with your rant greatly until i saw your edit.

as for the topic, it really depends on the teacher. I'm currently a high school junior and there are some teachers in my school that are very laid back and there are others who go crazy with homework. Unfortunately, i always end up with the hw teachers. So to answer your question, yes it does take me a lot of time and i'm here procrastinating on gamespot when i should go get my calculus book!!!!!!!!!

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DivergeUnify

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#19 DivergeUnify
Member since 2007 • 15150 Posts
[QUOTE="cametall"]

I guess it depends on the person. My AP class didn't take more than 2 hours a week out of my personal time (studying, homework, etc.) back in high school (that was 4 years ago).

A lot of people in AP probably shouldn't even be there anyways. I think if you have to spend 6+ hours studying per class, then you aren't bright enough to really be an AP student. Yeah it's twisted logic, but the speed and content at which an AP class moves/has shouldn't be overwhelming for the students that belong there. If you're having to spend that many hours to understand the material, then you obviously aren't bright enough for that AP class.

/rant...

EDIT: Now, those AP classes with a TON of homework, those teachers are BS. Even in the hardest college courses you receive almost no homework. Everything depends on 2 or 3 tests, not a ton of homework.

fighter91

i was about to disagree with your rant greatly until i saw your edit.

as for the topic, it really depends on the teacher. I'm currently a high school junior and there are some teachers in my school that are very laid back and there are others who go crazy with homework. Unfortunately, i always end up with the hw teachers. So to answer your question, yes it does take me a lot of time and i'm here procrastinating on gamespot when i should go get my calculus book!!!!!!!!!

As some advice, I found this year, it's a lot easier to concentrate and get my homework done by setting aside a place to do it, away from my PC; with some music, I don't feel the allure of OT :P
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Mystery-

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#20 Mystery-
Member since 2007 • 2144 Posts
It all depends on what school you go to.....
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#21 tbone29
Member since 2004 • 5552 Posts

Depends on your school/teacher I think.

I took AP English Comp (supposedly one of the harder ones?) and the teacher made things really clear and easy for us. So there wasn't a whole lot of outside-of-school work.

Got a 4 on the AP Test too...

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#22 Penguin_dragon
Member since 2005 • 1516 Posts

Well I'd have to say it depends on how good the schools are. My school is a horrible and the drop out rates are at like 20%, and the teachers know that the kids are tottally retarded, so the regular kids can get by without doing anything. The only exception here is the AP students who get worked like dogs to make up for the rest of the school. So for me it was either come to school and waste my time, or blow up my head with knowledge. I unfortunately choose the later, and thus screwed my self out of any hopes of getting into a decent college as I assume a B student at a Failschool is going to be laughed at.

TL;DR

Try checking with someone you know whos had AP classes at THAT school, before you risk any pottential damage to your GPA.

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DarkAlucard666

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#23 DarkAlucard666
Member since 2007 • 774 Posts

I was thinking about taking those classes, but choose not too, since you get homework on the first day and you get alot of reading and writting.

I've done tons of work before and did pretty alright (not an AP Class)

I just like to relax and take it easy8) I don't want to do work all at once and so much of it or I would become crazy.

sorry if you so call "AP Students" hate my grammer.

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Alley-Cat

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#24 Alley-Cat
Member since 2008 • 383 Posts
I'm a junior as well, and I started taking AP too. And dual credit. It's too early for me to tell whether it's going to take up a lot of my time or not though. In most cases I hear, yes, it does.
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Jester070

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#25 Jester070
Member since 2008 • 215 Posts
depends on that class and teacher. some of them are pretty easy, while some are VERY time consuming, if you want an A. if you'll settle for a C, then you can get by with very little work though.
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fluffers623

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#26 fluffers623
Member since 2007 • 1769 Posts
it's not that bad. im in 10th grade and taking 3 aps and find about an hour or 2 after school for free time after i do all my homework
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darkodonnie

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#27 darkodonnie
Member since 2007 • 2384 Posts
I got 4s on American History and Environmental Science without putting more time into them than my non-APs
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#28 Calypto
Member since 2008 • 732 Posts

It's really not that bad. My junior year I took AP U.S history and AP Psychology and the course was fine. There was definitely harder exams are longer homework, but it was managable.

The KILLER is around AP time in May/April when you have to juggle SATs, all your classes, AND studying for the APs. I was pretty stressed for that month or two. :P