Addison Whitten
Name: Addison Whitten
Grade: 11
What AP classes are you currently taking?
“I am currently taking AP Chemistry and AP Language and Composition.”
How have these AP courses benefited you as a student?
“These AP classes have benefited me majorly as a student by showing me the dedication needed to take the class as well as preparing me for classes in college. These courses have shown me how hard I can push myself to do well which is much farther than I thought I could push myself. Not only that, but taking these classes has proven how vital it is to keep up with the class load due to it being easy to fall behind. This has taught me to be a better student and not procrastinate on my work.”
How has the initiation of virtual learning changed your experience as a first time AP student?
“Virtual learning has definitely changed my first AP experience, but now I feel that the change has given me time and great resources to study with. I prefer learning hands on with a teacher, but being able to Zoom call helps, and the AP Youtube channel is putting out Youtube videos everyday with every chapter we need to know for the exam to help all of us review. Virtual learning has definitely changed the normal way we would have reviewed for the exam, but the resources given to us now give me confidence that I will still do well on the exam.”
What is your opinion on the new AP testing change?
“I’m not a big fan of taking things or learning online because I have trouble focusing. So in my opinion, I’m worried that I won’t have enough time to take my exams. Due to them being 45 minutes online and open note, I know they will be harder than usual, which means I might not be able to finish in time. Although, that is my only worry.”
What are the advantages of AP classes?
“To me, the advantages of AP classes is seeing how much work is required for college and knowing how hard you need to push yourself to keep up with the class load. Taking AP classes in high school is very beneficial because not only are you taking a college class for free, but you also get the experience and knowledge of how things will be in college. Not only that, but another advantage of taking AP classes is[that] the teachers expect you to push yourself harder and harder—which is a good motivation. They also expect you to take initiative to learn things if you do not understand them or to take initiative on individual work to ensure that you can do things on your own. The AP teachers expect you to take more responsibility throughout the school year.”
Despite your year cut short, would you still encourage underclassmen to take AP classes in their further years?
“Yes, I would definitely encourage any underclassmen to take AP classes in their further years. Even though AP Chemistry is a challenging course, it is quite fun with all [of] the labs we do as well as how great of a teacher Mr. Vonehr is; he really takes the time to explain things and help you if you need it. AP Language and Composition is a great class if you would rather focus on your writing skills and analyzing texts than public speaking, and I would encourage anyone to take AP Language and Composition or AP Chemistry.”