As high school students, we are told to “try our best” because the decisions we make can affect the rest of our lives.  The decisions we are making can most directly affect what college we get into and that leads to our career and so on and so forth.

Representatives from many colleges come to talk to students and I recently got to meet the Northeastern University admissions counselor for our region.  He told me that Northeastern looks for a rigorous schedule: if your school offers 20 AP classes you’d better not only be taking two.  I couldn’t help but think to myself that that is a lot easier said than done.

NK provides its students a variety of opportunities.  Doors open to us left and right to allow us to find classes that correspond with our interests and the fields we would like to pursue in our careers.  AP classes help teenagers develop a feel for college and even get a head start.  However, it does not simply come down to whether or not you have the grades to get into the courses

It matters if you have a schedule that has room for these classes.  I am currently a senior and am taking three APs this year and I took one last year.  Both years I had to make multiple schedule changes to classes and dropping classes.  I had to sacrifice an AP class both years because they didn’t fit into my schedule or  they clashed with a class that I needed to graduate.  Needless to say, trying to make the schedule I wanted was frustrating.

Our school is full of bright students, but when only one section of each AP class is taught, students are put on waiting lists.  Last summer I was on a waiting list for AP Physics and did the summer work with no promises that I would even get into the class and that work would just be a waste of time.

I scheudled many guidance appointments  and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I could bend my schedule to satisfy my needs as a student.

This struggle has become easier to manage.  Juniors have been given more opportunities in regards to when they can take an AP class.

According to Dr. Barbara Morse, as long as you are prepared to take the class and have the recommendation, what grade you are in will not matter.  The school has always been that way and will be flexible and make exceptions for a student who is talented.  The school also recently had a meeting with the AP teachers and changed the requirements for AP classes to match up with College Board.

“We are very proud of our AP program,” said Morse.  “The students challenge themselves in the courses and they have very dedicated teachers.”

Looking back as a senior, there are definitely classes I wish I had been able to take, or electives I wanted to take but could not take because my schedule was filled with full year classes.  I think the expansive class options is a great opportunity for the juniors.  I regret not taking certain science classes my junior year that I had intended to take senior year but did not get the opportunity to due to scheduling conflicts. I think that students need to take full advantage of their capabilities to begin forging their own path from even their freshman year if they are prepared for it.