Ever since Ralston Valley was founded back in 2000, it has been a college preparatory school of excellence. Ralston Valley is known for its reputable academic excellence from both students and teachers. Ralston Valley offers various advanced courses in a wide range of subjects. Ralston Valley has over 20 AP classes, spanning from world languages, to math, to science. These advanced placement courses at Ralston Valley help prepare students for the next level of education and begin to gain an understanding of the format of classes in college. As the year here at RV is starting to wind down, AP tests are on the horizon and are approaching quickly.

The first round of AP tests will begin on Tuesday, May 4th, and will continue until Thursday, May 20th. After last year’s very chaotic AP testing methods, the 2021 AP tests will be back to normal, and for some students, this is a huge relief. Juniper Kyle Hennesay explained,” my tests last year were at home. I had no real feel for the actual test.’’ Many underclassmen were robbed of true AP tests and may not know what to expect. Senior Sadie Case said, “ I look at AP tests like the SAT or other standardized tests. I just start studying a few weeks in advance so I don’t stress too much.” 

With the test days quickly approaching, there is no need to stress. While these tests may seem daunting, they are manageable and are not the end of the world. That being said you still want to try and get the best score possible. There are various strategies you can utilize in order to maximize your score. 

Senior Alex Mcdaniel has numerous AP classes under her belt and said, “I like to prepare before the test. Doing practice problems, reviewing notes, and doing practice tests.” Preparation before the test is essential in order to be successful. Using old resources and pushing yourself as the test gets closer will only help you. Time management must also always be on your mind. Pacing yourself and always being aware of how much time you have left is vital and could save you towards the end of the test. Along with this, teachers will always help you prepare for the test and review old materials as the test gets closer, so make sure to utilize these periods and use the best resources you have — your teachers. 

AP classes can be very tough and challenging, but they are great classes and can only help you in the end. Senior Sadie Case explains,” AP classes are stressful, but I definitely developed new skills from these classes and they helped me a lot overall.” Challenging yourself in high school is very low risk and high reward. In the moment, things like AP classes and tests may seem daunting, but at the end of the day, you will always look back and be grateful for your AP courses. 

AP tests and getting closing every single day make sure to keep up the studying and make sure to give it your all and show the world what Ralston Valley students can do.