Blue Valley underclassmen taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes for the first time face many challenges in navigating an AP course during virtual learning.

“It’s a lot to get used to,” freshman Jordan Meckstroth said. “Not only am I getting used to how much work there is for the AP class, but I’m also getting used to how to adjust to technology.”

An AP class is a college-level course offered at a high school level in order to give high school students college credit.

“Right now, my hardest class would be AP Euro,” sophomore Adela Lipari said. 

Lipari is taking AP European History, one of the only AP classes available for Blue Valley sophomores.

“The class requires a lot of work,” Lipari said. “I definitely have [more] homework for this class than other classes.”

Likewise, Meckstroth is enrolled in AP Human Geography, the only AP course offered to Blue Valley freshmen.

Meckstroth said it is her hardest class, and trying to take on a college-level course for the first time while also having to learn virtually is “kind of stressful.”

Lipari and Meckstroth share other student’s struggles of online learning while simultaneously taking a challenging college-grade course for the first time.

“It’s hard,” Meckstroth said. “If I have a question on something, it’s harder to get in contact with the teacher. I can’t just go up and ask her after [class]; I have to take the time to email and wait for a response.”

Lipari agrees taking an online AP course is extremely challenging. 

“Taking notes is harder because all of our lectures are pre-recorded, so you can’t ask questions,” Lipari said. “I’m typically someone who asks a lot of questions in class, and it’s harder to do that when we’re online.”

One unique thing about an AP class is the test taken at the end of the year that the entire curriculum leads up to. 

Meckstroth does not want to take this high-stress test online and hopes it will be “back to normal” by the end of the year. 

However, AP students across the country are worried the test might be taken virtually.

“I think this year the test is going to be online, when in the past it’s been hand-written,” Lipari said. “This means we’ll have less time to take the test.”

Regardless of the test format, AP classes are a challenge for all students, and those taking it for the first time have a unique struggle.

“Because it’s my first AP class I don’t really know what to expect,” Lipari said. “It’s a lot different distance learning than it is in person. I just don’t know the expectations.”