Every year, course selection is a tricky task, even for seasoned upperclassmen. Students decide what classes they want to take for the year ahead from a two-paragraph description in the course catalog. However, these courses sometimes end up being more than they bargained for.
There are many courses notorious for their difficulty. From Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH), to any course in the advanced math track, guidance counselors say many students see taking hard classes as a rite of passage and overtax their schedules and workloads.
Guidance counselor Richard Gorman said that freshman year Geometry Advanced can pose a challenging learning curve for students who are not used to the level of rigor in the hardest math track.
“I’d say [Geometry Advanced] is the hardest because it’s usually the first time that a student will come into a class and get a C, God forbid, on a test or a quarter, and they’ll be really freaked out by that grade. So it can be earth-shattering to a kid who always thought that they were an A student to actually get a B or a C or a D,” Gorman said. “Part of that experience can be a positive learning experience for them if they stick with it and keep moving forward. But I think that can be a hurdle, an emotional hurdle, which is why I call that class one of the hardest ones.”
Associate Dean Lisa Redding said that within the honors math track, junior year Precalculus Honors often feels like a big jump in difficulty from sophomore year Algebra II Honors.
“[From] Algebra II Honors, the natural progression is Precalculus Honors. But I feel like that’s a big step up from Algebra II Honors,” Redding said. “Right now, as we are coming to the end of first quarter, a lot of my juniors [in Precalculus Honors] are like, ‘Ah, I want to change classes!’ And for some, that may be the right thing to change classes, and for some it’s not. So you have to kind of talk it through and try to figure it out.”
Redding said that junior year is often the hardest and most stressful year due to a combination of thinking about college, standardized tests and the sheer rigor of academic course loads. Some students take APUSH and AP Chemistry, two notoriously difficult classes, simultaneously.
“There are a lot of my juniors who are taking APUSH and AP Chemistry, along with Honors Bio, along with Honors Precalculus, and that combination of all of those classes, that’s really challenging. That’s an aggressive schedule,” Redding said. “Hearing from students, APUSH is probably up there as one of the more difficult classes. If you don’t have those strong reading skills and writing skills, it’s going to be even more of a challenge.”
Gorman said students trying to take a sixth major class, such as doubling up in English, math, science, social studies or language, tend to struggle.
“Usually, once they get into that class, they might find that it’s too much for them to do, and they’ll drop out of that class,” Gorman said.
While College Counselor Lenny Libenzon said the difficulty of classes is very subjective, he thinks AP sciences, especially AP Chemistry and Physics, are the hardest courses.
“People drop the most out of AP Chemistry as juniors. They take it as juniors in addition to a science [usually biology]. I think that’s the hardest class: a second science class,” Libenzon said.
Similarly, Redding said AP science classes, which take up 1.5 blocks, add more pressure to overtaxed schedules.
“Many juniors don’t have free blocks because of the lab, and then you fit in wellness, and there’s a lot more demand on you with less time on your day,” Redding said.
Gorman said that following passion in a world that encourages students to prioritize academic results can be difficult for talented artists and musicians.
“I think a challenge for students can be to continue on with performing our visual arts classes that they like. Sometimes they feel like there’s no room for that because they want to take these AP or higher-level classes. I think that’s definitely a mistake,” Gorman said. “I notice students do the best throughout courses when they’re challenging themselves in major academic classes but also making sure that there’s room for some of the visual arts and performing arts classes as well.”
Redding said she thinks people unnecessarily prioritize taking difficult classes in the hopes of looking competitive in the college admissions process. Redding said college admissions are unpredictable, so it is hard to know if overloading your schedule with hard classes will actually bring the desired outcome.
“Grades matter and, yes, the classes matter to an extent. [Universities] all have their own formula for GPA. They all have their own formula for weighting, standard, honors and AP. Everyone’s going to get in somewhere,” Redding said.
Libenzon said the mindset that everyone should take as many hard classes as possible is detrimental to a student’s well-being and educational success.
“I think there’s a narrative that you need [hard classes] for college, so that’s why [students] try to take them. But it’s not true. You need to just do what you like and follow your passion,” Libenzon said. “There are tons of colleges in the United States. You don’t need APs to get into colleges. I think it could be helpful if you’re taking [hard classes] in subjects that you do well in and enjoy, but it’s not a great option if you’re really struggling to take them.” Libenzon said.
Redding said she wants students to prioritize balance in all areas of their lives: academics, extracurriculars and time with friends and family.
“I see students not just working hard but, over time, exhausting themselves. I just want a little joy in their lives and a little more balance because it’ll be okay, I promise,” Redding said. “The best thing I think you can learn is to balance all of it, because physical and mental health is super important. Sometimes the academics take a toll on those things.”
At the same time, Redding said that these hard classes can be a great opportunity for students to struggle and grow.
“Just because they’re hard doesn’t mean you should switch. You should learn strategies. You know how to study, not necessarily more, but better,” Redding said. “We can do hard things, right? We want to build the skills and the strategies for when students leave here. So just because something’s hard doesn’t mean we’re always looking to get out.”
