As FLHS students begin to think about course selection for next year, many contemplate how many AP courses to take and which ones would best suit their interests and schedules. A helpful resource to making these decisions, besides speaking with your guidance counselor and teachers, is asking your peers about their experience with these college-level courses. AP students can provide insight on the academic rigor, frequency of assessments, time management, rewarding aspects, and more for each class. Below is a compilation of quotes from current and past AP students from almost every single AP course offered at Ludlowe. 

Art

AP Studio Drawing:

“AP art is one of the most creative, intensive, independent art classes you will take. You are the director; you choose what to make with help from the lovely Mrs. Calkins and the rest of the art department. This is definitely a class that has helped me develop my creative process and artistic skill. It can be a difficult class but I cannot recommend it enough.” – Amelia Capron

Business Education

AP Computer Science Principles:

“Computer Science Principles is a great class in my opinion. FLHS won a grant through the Amazon Future Engineers program which gives us access to an online course platform called Edhesive. [Edhesive] provides a decked out series of videos, notes, readings, practice tests/quizzes, and a ton of material about the AP exam. CSP is a great class to learn the basics of coding and computing without diving too deep into the syntax of any particular coding class. Ms. McGuigan is a pretty chill teacher, and she is a really fair grader.” – Aniket Martins

AP Computer Science A:

“AP Computer Science A is a great class which focuses on teaching Java. There isn’t a ton of homework, but you do have to complete a bunch of coding assignments and study for the tests. The syllabus is pretty clear, and Mr. Benjamin is really smart and great with computers. Coding in general is also a pretty important skill to know, especially if you are interested in STEM for high school education or a career.” – Aniket Martins

AP Micro and Macro Economics: 

“Economics is a great class if you like business and numbers. It gives great insight on markets, business decisions, and the global economy. Personally, I would recommend the class to those interested in business or the economy in general. There isn’t too much work outside of class but reviewing for a test takes a while.” – Mason Martin

English

AP Language & Composition:

“AP Lang is an amazing class for anyone who loves to think and have conversations with other intellectuals. You will read a variety of American literature that will challenge your mind to think at a deeper level. I would definitely recommend the class. If you love reading, writing about literature, and having deep conversations with other people, then this class is definitely for you! Your workload and assignments will vary depending on the teacher, but you will still cover the same curriculum!” – Esther Samuel

AP American Studies:

“AP American Studies is an integration of AP Language and Composition and AP US History. I would recommend this course for any rising juniors who have a genuine interest in the subject areas. Although the 2 APs can be taken separately, AMSTUD is a truly dynamic class environment that you won’t encounter in any other course. Our class has definitely bonded, even in the hybrid environment. We all actively participate in the class discussions, support each other in our studies, and laugh at each other’s jokes. Also, our English and history teachers make sure to balance the workload between the two subjects. We never have an essay and history test due on the same day, and the teachers create a calendar of all assignments due each month so students can stay organized. Taking the two courses together has given me a more cohesive understanding of American culture. Connecting Walden to the history of the Market Revolution and transcendentalist movement definitely enriched my understanding of the book. There are also many times that I have been able to connect our conversations on American government and social issues to the present day.

“I would not recommend taking AMSTUD if you are a student who wants to receive an ‘easy A’ or is not ready to put in the time and effort at the beginning of the year to adjust to the demands of this course. The course will probably challenge the way that you study and learn for the better. I have adjusted my own studying techniques, note taking habits, and time management skills. If you have a genuine passion for American history and English, your teachers and classmates will be very supportive and help you to succeed.” – Harper Treschuk

AP Literature & Composition:

“To be honest, pretty much every senior I talked to last year told me not to take AP Lit because of how much work it is, but because I just love reading I decided to take it anyway, and I’m so glad that I did. It is a lot of work, but it’s manageable. In my class, we’ve only written two big processed essays so far this year, and my teacher is so understanding about deadlines and the workload. I’m so glad I took it because we’re reading some of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s so interesting to read all of these different books and see how themes in Wide Sargasso Sea, for example, connect to themes in other books we’ve read and how those themes connect to the real world. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to talk about such important lessons in books with people who like reading as much as I do! So even though it’s a lot of work, it’s all manageable and it’s worth it in the end, so I’d definitely recommend taking AP Lit!” – Freya Nangle

Mathematics

AP Statistics:

“AP Statistics is a great option for people who are willing and able to put in time to read the textbook on their own, and then come into class prepared to discuss the section and further read… the textbook. Overall, I put [in] about four to five hours during the week outside of class doing work for Stat, and make sure you keep up with the assigned homework as it will help you a lot. I personally enjoy AP Statistics as the math we learn about relates to real life significantly, and the teacher is very easy to reach when you have any questions! One thing that people should be aware of before they decide to take Stat or not is to know that it is primarily textbook work and a summative on each section/chapter about every week or every other week. It is a very interesting class I look forward to!” – Emily Nolan

AP Calculus AB: 

“AP Calculus AB is challenging, but if you’re up to the challenge, it can be a really great class. It isn’t easy, but if you put in the time and effort, you can get great results. I receive around 3-4 hours of homework per week, with an additional 2-4 hours of studying if there’s an upcoming test. In my experience, the calculus is manageable, but the algebra behind it can be difficult at times. If you’re looking for a challenging math class, I would certainly recommend AP Calculus AB.” – Abby Upton

AP Calculus BC: 

“I would recommend BC for anyone who is comfortable asking questions. It is a very confusing class, but Ms. Smith will answer any question you have, and eventually you figure it out. Although it is tough material, there is plenty of practice and worksheets to do in order to be prepared for the tests. Anyone who works hard to understand the material will end with a great grade in the class. As far as the workload goes, it is definitely manageable. The class moves very quickly, but with sufficient practice and effort outside of the classroom, it is easy to succeed.” – Nate Cramer

Science

AP Environmental Science:

“Whether you’re a science person or not, APES is an amazing class because you’re forced to look at everything from unique perspectives, learn how we can solve pressing real world problems, and appreciate what surrounds us in doing so.” – Will Hinkle

AP Chemistry:

“AP Chem is a hard class that requires time and dedication to excel. You need to be ready to complete all assignments and thoroughly understand the material. Come to class with questions, and have good study habits in order to do well on tests and quizzes, which are likely to happen every week. I would recommend this to anyone who has a good work ethic or anyone who needs to be pushed in order to achieve one. So far it has been a marvelous exposure to a college level class, and I believe that anyone with a superior work ethic will succeed.” – Jimmy Konstanty

AP Biology: 

“Overall, I think the AP Biology class is an interesting course and just a really fun class. The class itself takes a lot of work outside the classroom, and it’s convenient to have a good work ethic to get all of the reading done and to understand the materials. Still, it’s such a worthwhile class that has such an awesome pay off that makes me realize how interesting I find biology. If you take the class, I definitely suggest taking good notes and understanding vocab words and just overall putting in the effort you need to succeed in the class.” – Sophia Graney

AP Physics I:

“AP Physics I is a challenging science class. It is perfect for anyone who is interested in engineering and wants to learn more about how our world works around us. AP Physics I is an algebra-based course, so there is quite a lot of math involved. Personally, I find more trouble understanding the concepts than the actual arithmetic. This class will require a significant amount of time outside of class and should not be taken lightly. Physics is definitely an interesting course, but should be taken with great seriousness and dedication!” – Esther Samuel

AP Physics II: 

“It’s definitely really hard, but if you remember topics from Physics I those should help a lot with the basics. We do tons of practice problems in class, and it’s really helpful to make sure we all understand the material. The topics are also interesting because a ton of it is FRQs about real world situations so we actually get to see how what we’re learning applies in the real world, which is really cool because I feel like that doesn’t happen in a lot of classes.” – Freya Nangle

Social Studies 

(see above for AP American Studies)

AP US History: 

“It’s super helpful to go in for extra help, writing practice, and to go over your tests with [Ms.] Newberg to know how you can improve in the future as well as creating an effective, personal studying approach that works for you and that you can stick to.” – Bennett Hemphill

AP US Government & Politics: 

“AP Gov has definitely been a course worth taking. It has allowed me to understand how our government works and how it applies to what is going on around me. I now have the knowledge to form educated opinions and to be civically engaged.” – Lily Solz

AP Comparative Government & Politics: 

“I would undoubtedly recommend this class to anybody who’s interested in knowing what’s going on around the world today. My favorite part of Comp is that I feel like the knowledge that I learn is not just for tests; it is also applicable in examples in many modern countries today. My teacher (Ms. Sousa) also is not afraid of taking a day or two off of the curriculum to talk about current events, which makes me really feel like the class is more detailed towards giving you the keys to interpret what’s going on in the world currently than in the past, which I really appreciate.” – Emmett Adams

AP Modern European History:

“AP Modern European History is overall a very fun class that teaches you about European history, and its impact all around the world. The only ‘homework’ you really get is taking textbook notes which is generally around 30 pages, but if you manage your time well, then this should not be a huge issue. In terms of assessments (pre-Covid), it’s generally 20-25 stimulus multiple choice questions with a Long Essay Question (LEQ) at the end. Mrs. Sousa, who teaches this course, is absolutely the best and the nicest teacher ever as well! Mrs. Sousa has frequently mentioned that people that take AP MEH have emailed her when they were in college, saying how this course was relevant to what they were learning at the college level!” – Allen Yao

AP Psychology: 

“The topics we cover in AP Psych are very relevant for everyone, no matter what you want to do later in life. There are really interesting concepts that we learn, like memory or nature vs. nurture, topics applicable to ordinary life. Though I think the workload is pretty fair, there are a lot of outside-of-class textbook notes/vocabulary and in-class discussions. But, if you are thinking about doing psych in college, I would definitely take it to see what it’s like!” – Abigail Chacko

Spanish

AP Spanish: 

“I definitely recommend taking AP Spanish for everyone. To a college, it shows commitment to learning a language, which is a great quality. The transition from Spanish V is not tough, and many people in class are doing well. The teacher gives a reasonable amount of work, such as grammar or writing practice. If you plan on taking a lot of other APs, don’t stress if you want to add this one to your list. My advice would be to practice speaking in Spanish or review grammar to continue improving, and you’ll be prepared for AP.” – Olivia Beniston

French

AP French: 

“AP French is both an academically stimulating and useful class! Madame Lavigne ensures each student fully understands the material and gives us projects that deal with real-life issues, allowing us to further our French skills while learning about things that are applicable to our everyday lives.” – Sofie Nangle

FLHS Program of Studies 2021-2022 

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1611233447/fairfieldschoolsorg/qvqaedg9ony99sskprbl/FLHSAllGradesProgramofStudies21-22_.pdf