Dear readers,

    Many of my classmates have been quite nervous in recent days. You might be wondering, “Now that summer’s here, what’s there to worry about?” Well, the answer is simple: Advanced Placement (AP) scores.

    AP refers to courses that students can take in high school. These courses are provided in many subjects, including science, mathematics and humanities, and are usually more challenging than regular classes. Their purpose is to provide students with a college-level learning experience.

    Students take AP exams at the end of the year. The AP test scores are sorted into five grades, from one to five. Doing well in these tests helps when applying for college credit. For example, some colleges that accept a four grade of a certain AP test give the student four credits in the subject. Then the student can waive lessons or graduate in advance. The tests, each requiring a fee of around 80 dollars, are administered in May, and scores are mailed in July. Thus came about the recent wave of nervousness regarding AP scores among my peers.

    AP exams offer a great opportunity to high school students to get a head start in college. However, they can consume a substantial amount of students’ time and effort as well. In addition, colleges have varied policies regarding AP credit. For instance, a college may only accept AP credits in limited subjects. Thus, students should determine whether to take AP exams or not. Nevertheless, I think that AP classes are worth taking. I myself have enjoyed AP courses very much as they were challenging and thought-provoking, and I learned much through the curricula.

    I hope you found this article interesting and informative. I can’t wait to tell you more!

    Sincerely, Bingyin