It is AP testing for high school students all across the country. This time leads to lots of stress and anxiety for a multitude of students.
“I always tell students also to just do some slow deep breaths, do a little stretching, things like that during the test if they start to feel anxious or overwhelmed,” Stephanie Hausmann (staff) said.
Hausmann alternates years teaching AP Literature and Composition and AP Language and Composition.
“Talk to someone, like, about the stress you’re feeling. It helps. It’s not good to, like, keep it all in,” Tess Cooper (11) said.
Cooper is in AP Biology, AP Literature and Composition, AP Psychology and AP United States History, so she has had a lot of experience with learning how to manage stress around AP exams.
“I think my best study advice is pretend, like, you’re teaching it to someone. It helps me remember it, like, really really well,” Cooper said.
AP teachers offer instruction throughout the year and encourage students to trust in what they’ve worked toward all year.
“Just … have confidence and trust that what you’ve done in class and outside of class also has prepared you for your exam and you’re just gonna do the best you can on that day,” AP Spanish teacher Sandi Cumings (staff) said.
Of course, with such an expansive exam that covers so much, it can be difficult to figure out how to study right before the exam.
“Just going back and reviewing like common verbs and word choice and things that will help students’ writing just kind of be at a higher level,” Hausmann said.
A higher level of education is a main reason students take AP classes but some also just find them enjoyable.
“They’re fun at times,” Cooper said. “Like, you get to learn a lot of different things at a college level.”
Though the grading can be immense, AP teachers often also like the material and say the class can be enjoyable for both students and teachers for a variety of reasons.
“It’s a good idea to take an AP course because it’ll just go deeper into the content and just be rewarding,” Hausmann said. “The class will usually just be more fun because people are more engaged.”
Here at WHS, there are so many AP courses to choose from, so students should be selective. “I would say make sure that you’re interested in the topic because it makes it so much easier,” Cumings said.
And, of course, there are multiple perks to taking AP classes, such as getting college credit.
“AP tests are a great way to not pay as much for college,” Cooper said.
Teachers advise their students to not worry too much about their performance on an AP exam.
“Nobody in their future years from now is going to ask, ‘What did you get on you AP, such and such test?’” Hausmann said.
Even though it is a stressful time, it is important for students to stay calm and focus on what they know.
“It’s not gonna, like, dictate your whole future, so. Don’t worry too much. You’re eating this up,” Cooper said.
