Advanced Placement classes are college level classes, offered to high school students who want to challenge their ability to work at a much faster and challenging pace compared to regular classes and possibly get college credit if they pass the AP exam.

Counselors and teachers recommend that students first enroll in Honors classes before requesting to be placed into AP level classes, as this best prepares them for the challenging work and expectations that come with an advanced level class.

At the beginning of this school year I was sitting in my AP English class and I noticed that some students complained about the “ fact “ that they were simply placed into AP English without requesting it. While a number of students may have complained about this, counselors insist that this doesn’t just happen.

Both Ms. Maria Whittington and Mr. Rodriguez have stated that students must request to be placed into AP classes. Students sign up to be in AP classes at the end of the previous year and forget that they did in fact request an AP class. There may have been confusion and a lack of communication between the student or parent and their counselor, but students are rarely placed into APs out of mistake.

All students aren’t cut out for a college level class. There’s always that one student or group of students in class that are considered “class clowns” or talk excessively every day. If students have the option of sitting next to their friends in class, it usually results in disruptions. There isn’t anything more annoying than the mumbling of classmates in the background while the teacher is trying to talk.

Do all students in AP classes a huge favor and don’t sign up or request AP classes when you aren’t prepared or cut out for the work involved. If you do request a class, try to stay focused and don’t be that person the teacher has to stop the entire class for.

I’m not saying that you can’t have fun or laugh or talk to your friends. I’m just saying that you should be respectful and mindful of the fact that you’re in a college level class. Know your limits.

For an AP class, students should be respectful not only to their teachers, but also to their classmates. When students talk excessively and out of turn, it interferes with the learning and concentration of the rest of the class. Teachers shouldn’t have to go out of their way and stop the lesson just for a couple of students who aren’t paying attention.

Students themselves feel annoyed and even a bit angry when other students in AP classes cause distractions and interruptions.

“I would honestly enjoy AP classes a lot more if all the students in the class would take them seriously,” said junior Grace Sandoval. “It gets quite frustrating when the teacher has to stop the lesson just to deal with the disruptive students. That’s time being wasted and taken from my education.” Another student also had something negative to say about classmates in AP classes.

“ Taking an AP class allows me to be better prepared for college but when students in the class don’t take it seriously, it takes away from my education and the seriousness of the class,” said junior Natalie Echavarria.

Some may argue that if a student talks during a lesson, it is their own fault and the issue should be left alone. I agree that it is their own fault and they are the ones losing out on education, however because they disrupt the class for everyone, they must be called out for their childish behavior.