Requirements for AP, IB Classes Time Consuming

COLONY HIGH — Students taking Advanced Placement and International Baccalureate classes find that the most difficult part of these challenging classes is the time commitment.

Otherwise known as AP and IB, the classes are available in Valley high schools and offer the possibility of college credit. Thus, they are more challenging than the regular high school class. So what does it take to be successful?

Students say AP and IB classes require a lot of work and time. Colony High offers AP classes while IB classes are found at Palmer High.

“You have to put the AP class as your priority,” said Colony High senior Joshua Ukena. “It requires more work on your own, but it’s definitely worth the knowledge and experience you get from it.”

Palmer junior Emily Roberts agreed when it come to IB classes.

“It takes a lot of work and time dedication,” she said.

AP and IB classes require higher-level thinking. Students are required to analyze and evaluate the course material, unlike basic high school courses that simply require remembering and understanding and only touch on the higher-level thinking.

As in most classes, the teacher plays a huge role in the success of students.

Colony High senior Taya Van Blaircum has taken three AP classes while at Colony.

“My favorite AP class I’ve taken is AP U.S. government,” she said.

Van Blaircum said the difficulty of the course often comes down to instruction.

“It depends on the teacher rather than the curriculum,” she said.

Senior Sara Main agreed.

“What makes the true difference is when a teacher goes from saying, ‘One in four of you will get a 5 (the highest score possible)’ to, ‘Every single person in this classroom will succeed in this class,’” Main said. “And the difference is they believe in you.”

Much of the focus in AP and IB classes is on preparing students for the final exam.

“When I teach basic psychology I am able to do more labs and projects, while in AP psychology my main focus is preparing the students for the AP exam,” said Colony High psychology teacher Aaron Mitchell.

Students should be prepared for harder work, which is often more time consuming than even some 100 or 200 level college classes.

“My college psychology class was a lot easier than AP psychology,” Mitchell said.

Palmer High junior Noah Bowser has taken both AP and IB classes.

“AP classes require more work. On the IB tests you don’t have to be as specific,” Bowser said.

IB also offers the Diploma Program. The curriculum is made up of six subject groups and is the student’s whole class schedule rather than just a class or two.

Emily Roberts didn’t see the need for the Diploma Program.

“The full diploma I don’t think really is (worth it), but taking one or two might be.”

“The full diploma is so expansive, and very tedious with lots of extra work many of us naturally do. If you know what you want to go to college for, say history of something, you only need history and an English. No need for such hard science classes stressing you out more than needed,” Roberts said.

Palmer High offers 21 IB courses and AP calculus. Colony High offers 15 AP courses and Wasilla High offers 12 AP courses.

Aubrey Mitchell is a senior at Colony High School and will be attending Utah State University Eastern in the fall.