With course selection for the 2025-2026 school year looming, many students are stressing about what classes to choose. Students looking to boost their academic credentials may be curious about AP classes. But what exactly goes on in AP classes at Foran?

AP classes are designed to help students prepare for college while in high school. Students who take these classes learn about many important topics and a variety of useful skills that help them pass the AP exam they take in May. Some of the most popular AP classes are AP US Government, AP English Language and Composition, and AP Psychology, all of which boast shockingly high pass rates. 

In AP English Language, taught by Mrs. Barbara Dooley and Ms. Lisa Stamidis, students learn about the function of language in persuading others. Students work with a variety of nonfiction texts, write for the purposes of analysis, argument, and synthesis, and reflect on their work. 

 “While the course is demanding, it is also highly rewarding for students who are willing to invest effort and embrace its challenges,” says Dooley. 

In AP Psychology, taught by Mr. Todd Williams, students learn about themselves, others, and various ways to look at the world around them. Williams says most work is done within the classroom, but can be known to assign videos and reading outside of the classroom. While both juniors and seniors can take this class, he recommends it to seniors. 

“We apply much of our information about what life is like after Foran High School,” Williams says.

In AP US Government, taught by Mr. Austin Cesare, students learn about how the US government operates. Students explore checks and balances, the three branches of government, civil rights and liberties, and the election and campaign process. Cesare’s class has an incredible 95% pass rate for the AP exam.

AP classes are not without their trials and tribulations, however.

Sophomore AP US History student Maggie Bredbeck says, “The most challenging aspect of taking an AP course is probably the quantity of homework because I have to dedicate a lot of my weekends to getting preparatory work finished before class if I want to do well.”

Many students say homework is the most challenging aspect of the class, but each student has their own individual struggles in class. The difficulty of a certain AP class depends entirely on the student taking it.

“What one student finds easy, another may report as challenging and vice versa,” says guidance counselor Jakob Rosengrant.

PowerSchool opens for course requests for students in mid-February, and in March, students will be scheduled during their math class to meet with their counselors to discuss their requests.

With one last word of advice, Bredbeck suggests, “AP classes are a great opportunity and anyone who feels prepared to take one should make the best of their chance.”