There are many different AP classes offered at Oakville that many students choose to take during the school year. This includes several math classes like college algebra and statistics. There’s many science classes like chemistry and environmental science. Many students challenge themselves by taking several different classes at the same time.
“This year I am taking AP environmental science, AP chemistry, AP biology, and AP calculus. In the past I’ve taken AP European history and AP US government, and I have always chosen to receive credit by taking the exams,” Michelle Gruden (12) said.
Oakville offers two different ways for students to receive college credit by taking AP classes. One option is to take the AP exam that takes place at the end of year in the beginning of May. This option is best for students who are intending to go to a farther away university, but there are some classes that only offer credit by taking the exam.
“I am going to North Carolina University, so I chose to take the AP exams so I can transfer my credits,” Gruden said.
The other way students receive college credit by taking AP classes is signing up for dual credit. This is when the class is offered to students through a local college, and they can sign up at the beginning of the course. At Oakville, the colleges that offer classes are usually University of Saint Louis Missouri, Saint Louis University, and sometimes Missouri Baptist. Students receive credit from this by simply completing the course, and whatever grade they receive in the class is their final grade.
“I’m going to Mizzou, so I chose to sign up for the dual credit option because I will be able to transfer my credits. I also prefer for my performance to be recognized throughout the whole year instead of just by one test,” Anna Rohr (12) said.
Most colleges that accept AP exams only allow the student to receive credit when they receive a certain score, usually a 3 or above. This puts a lot of pressure on students who choose to take the AP exam compared to signing up for dual credit where the students will receive credit no matter their performance and can choose to put it on their transcript.
“I took the AP United States history exam this year. I had to start studying pretty early this year which was stressful on top of work and my other classes,” Alex Vaughn (12) said.
Oftentimes students procrastinate studying for the exams while also focusing on their current commitments like work and extracurricular activities. The exams usually last between two and three hours and contain a short essay, a short answer question and a multiple choice section.
“…There were a lot of essays to write and a section for multiple choice, I felt pretty rushed,” Vaughn said.
A lot of students had mixed experiences with the AP exams. Many claim the experience and studying for it to be stressful because not many students are used to the structure of the tests, but others felt more prepared thanks to their past class experiences and studying earlier instead of a month or a few weeks before.
“…I started studying in January, which I think was worth it because it helped me remember the specific ways I was supposed to do things and some of the important things I had to know,” Rachel Franke (12) said. “I also think my classes really helped me prepare for what types of questions to expect.”
Students are expected to have different experiences with testing, which can be from the amount of effort they put into the class. Some seniors struggle to find motivation being the end of the year, but others see the end in sight and are encouraged to successfully complete the year.
“I’ve spent so much time doing homework and studying for my AP classes,” Franke said, “especially taking multiple makes a challenge, but I think it’s worth it because it’s cheaper than paying for it at college.”
