February Digital Magazine

31 february issue
Q: Why did you decide to take the AP classes you are taking?
Ariane Sambile (12): Calc I had to take as a next step and the rest were fun APs. I decided
on gov gov because I did APUSH last year and thought it’d be good to go into gov AP.
Asha Iyer (12): My parents wanted to find a way for me to get the most credit possible,
to get ahead for college credit and they wanted me to be in a more rigorous schedule to
get used to the type of work college takes.
Q: How would you describe the attitude toward AP classes at Oakton High
School?
Sambile: I feel like sometimes people think they have to take AP classes but you should
do what fits you.
Iyer: I think that a lot of people want to be in them and the people who are kind of look
down on the people who aren’t.
Ageda Mara (12): It’s normalized way too much to take AP classes when it’s not meant
to be like that.
Q: Is there pressure at Oakton to take AP classes?
Iyer: Yes, we have a weighted gpa just for taking AP classes and socially you need to
take one or throughout HS to be considered “normal.”
Zhiqen He (11): Teachers push you to take APs that they feel like you are ready for. This
leads to people taking too many APs because they were convinced by multiple teachers
and could lead to more stress.
Q: What would you change about the AP class culture at Oakton?
He: To make it clear that APs don’t make or break college applications. Though counselors
say it already, I feel like most people don’t beleive that at all.