As I have said before, we are now in that part of the school year where everything reaches a Hollywood type climax…proms, graduations and college acceptances. But there is another aspect of the school year that occurs at the High School level that some students focus on and that is the AP Exams or Advanced Placement Exams.
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Now, you might be wondering, why would someone who is an autism advocate and public speaker be talking about Advanced Placement classes and exams? Well, I will say right off the bat that I never took Advanced Placement classes or the exams which was probably a good thing.
However, ever since I start presenting the Go the Distance Scholarship in 2008, I couldn’t help but notice that usually the valedictorian and salutitorian getting a whole slew of academic awards and scholarships where as special education get only one or two awards or scholarships.
I also say to myself that the student who became valedictorian or salutitorian probably had been placed either under pressure by others within their family or put themselves under pressure to get into the position that they are in. Now, that’s not to say that taking Advanced Placement classes and exams is a bad thing. Some of us may need to take Advanced Placement Classes in order to pursue a respective career in medicine, finance or business. After all, we all like a good challenge every now and again, but its important to remember that we are all human beings and we have our strengths and weaknesses.
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For one thing, taking an Advanced Placement class usually requires your penultimate summer vacation be sacrificed like a sacrificial lamb. Some people tend to view this as the first ever sacrifice we make of our free lives before we head into the work force or college life.
You are given the task of not only reading but studying really difficult aspects of a particular topic such as AP US History, AP Psychology or even AP Physics and AP Chemistry, just to name a few. Then, when it comes time to the classes in the fall, you are expected to review your material you did over the summer on the First Day of School, mind you and that as you go through the class throughout the year, you cannot slack off or else you never get back on that horse.
Finally, when it comes to the exams in the spring, you are basically chained to the testing site (classroom, auditorium, etc.) for an undisclosed amount of time until the rest of the class is finished with their exams. Some of these times can range between 2 to 4 hours.
Honestly, if I was in that situation, I would be having sensory overloads until the cows come home.
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But the truth of the matter is that sometimes Advanced Placement classes are not for everyone, particularly for special education students. It’s important to remember that you don’t need to take an Advanced Placement Class to feel important or try to get into that college you want to. Heck, you can accomplish a lot more without Advanced Placement Classes or Exams!!
All that matters is that you enter the homestretch at your pace and remember to not let others judge you or pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do. You may qualify for Advanced Placement classes and then decide you would much rather not take it because it’s best for your mental health.
If you are seeking Advanced Placement Classes this fall, I salute you, but remember that we are all human and we cannot let pressure dictate our educational journeys!!
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Catch you all later!!
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