Mid-winter break, otherwise known as ski week, is one of a few breaks left before the scheduled dates for the Advanced Placement (AP) tests. This often causes students to make a pivotal decision when they are given days off: should they start studying?
When considering such a timely decision, many people look towards the classes they are struggling in the most. These are often AP classes, college-level courses which are essentially managed by the College Board.
One of the most common AP courses that students take is AP European History, a class that is offered to every sophomore.
“Personally, I’m not really worried about the AP test. It’s in May so I’ve got the time to prepare,” said Andy Luu, a sophomore.
In addition, AP classes are also considered to be a big time commitment, with each class requiring a heavy workload and assignments that can take multiple hours to complete. Having an AP class makes managing your time essential. This makes it difficult to retain daily extracurricular activities without it affecting their school work, especially if the student is taking more than one AP class.
Darren Yao, a sophomore, is currently taking three AP classes this school year and is planning on taking four next year.
“I don’t consider any of the AP classes that I’m currently taking that hard, so I don’t plan on preparing for them until later on,” Yao said.
According to The Princeton Review, the ideal amount of time needed to prepare for the AP test is one to three months. This is exponentially greater with the addition of more than one AP class.
With the AP tests fast approaching, deciding whether to study or relax over break is often a choice that is met with uncertainty. Many students seek relaxation and rest from the constant workload of school and break provide just that.
However, breaks also provide a time period that is ideal for reviewing and preparing for upcoming tests.
“I just want to relax. School can sometimes get hectic and breaks are a way for me to cool down,” Luu said.
Mid-winter break is one of a few breaks left between now and the upcoming AP exams in May, but ultimately the decision whether or not to prepare during this time rests with the student.
The 2019 AP exams will take place over a two-week period from, May 6 to 10 and May 13 to 17.
