Starting this year, Sterling High School’s Pre-Calculus class has changed into an Advanced Placement (AP) class. Teacher Alexis Rivera taught regular pre-calculus, but now has to adjust to different concepts and teaching styles. 

  AP Pre-Calculus is a rigorous class that requires a great deal of work even though not all colleges will accept the credit. It’s common to feel stressed because of the pressure to succeed in class, especially because the AP Pre-Calculus curriculum is very challenging. However, it can make students stand out in college applications and develop a solid base in mathematics, which will help in their future endeavors. AP Pre-Calculus is a notable course to take if interested in pursuing a career in STEM. 

  The change to AP Pre-Calculus makes the class substantially more difficult as it is because it requires students to understand each concept in order to be able to solve more problems. A lot of the material is also very subjective, which can make it difficult to learn the way the College Board wants.

  Rivera had to change his teaching style dramatically because “it is important for students to understand the underlying concepts so that they can solve a wider range of problems, including problems that they have never seen before.”

  SHS graduate Owen Maxwell, who took regular pre-calculus, says that wish[es] it was an AP course when he took the class because it would have been a nice opportunity to earn more credits towards college.” 

  Junior Samantha Knox, who is currently enrolled in AP Pre-Calculus, states that it’s “definitely a challenging class, but the amount of content and skills we learn makes it well worth the effort.” 

  AP courses are intricate and demand persistence. It is a necessity to ask questions in order to succeed in each course, regardless of subject. There are many pros and cons that come with each AP course, so it’s important to consider them before enrolling in the course.