APs to Select for Rising Juniors and Seniors

Graduating Academic Magnet requires completing a senior thesis, ninety hours of community service, and taking four Advanced Placement classes. These tasks seem daunting as a freshman, but as a senior I can tell you that it is manageable if you enjoy the classes you are taking.

I, like most other students, took AP English Language junior year. The class involved five summer reading books in preparation for a salon and a few essays. Throughout the year we read novels such as Scarlet Letter and The Great Gatsby outside of class while discussing important themes in class. Personally, I loved the salons as we feasted on chips and salsa, brownies, cupcakes, soda, and much more.

My junior year I also took AP Physics 1 with Mr. Lindgren which is an algebra based university level course. This class as well as AP Physics C: Mechanics are great for those interested in engineering. Time outside of class practicing AP problems is required to do well in order to keep up with the heavy courseload.

My peer, Nahom Gebreselassie, took AP Biology as a junior and believed it was one of the most exciting classes he’s taken at Magnet. 

When it comes to taking foreign language as a senior, many students opt-in for AP French or AP Spanish rather than level 5 in order to challenge themselves and receive college credit. I am in one of the two AP French classes with around 14-15 students. This small class size allows us to partner up and practice conversations as well as work together on letters and DBQ’s that are found on the AP exam.

For students who excel in artistic classes, AP Studio Art is a great option with room for creativity. Ms. Callicott teaches the class and experiments with different types of mediums. The culminating project requires submission of portfolios including 2-D design, 3-D design, and drawings. Another art class which a lot of students don’t consider is AP Art History which is a more academic class testing student’s knowledge of artists, schools, and movements as well as chronological periods and significant dates. Several Academic Magnet seniors walk to SOA in the morning and take the class in one of their buildings.

The first AP exam is less than 4 weeks from today! If you plan on passing all your exams, it’s time to pick up a Barron’s book and get studying. If you are like the rest of the Magnet population focused on prom, make the most of it and enjoy these last few weeks of the school year.

AP Test Schedule: Week 1

AP Test Schedule: Week 2