Dear Future APELC Student,
First of all, congratulations on your entrance to this class. It takes determination and courage to enroll in this class, especially if its one of your first AP courses. There are a few things I learned taking this class that I would like to share with you. One: your writing sucks. You may be a star student in 10th grade honors English, but most of your writing just will not measure up to the expectations of an AP english student until about the middle of the year. So with that said, once you get your first 3 back on an essay, don't fret. This is completely normal. Build thick skin, you'll get over it. At the end of the day, your progression in the class is 100 times more important than the final grade. After writing your summer essay, keep it in a safe place. At the end of the year, take it out and compare it to one of your most recent works. I'm sure you will get a laugh out of it. Two: You might have been a straight A student your underclassmen years, but those few B's in the tough courses this year really will not matter. I know you've heard this before from all your teachers. Every time I heard it I would never believe it because colleges will never see any progression, they just see a letter. It doesn't matter. When those colleges read your application essays, they'll understand too. So when you get your first B in a tough class, dance around the room because you're getting a B in a college level class! That is two years above where you should be, and that is pretty cool. Three: Do not be scared of your teachers. They are there to help, they want to see you succeed. I know there are some teachers who are just there for the job and not for their students. But trust me when I tell you Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko are here for you, they want to help you. So never be scared to ask for help, conference, or just have a chat. Four: Many times during the year you will probably hate yourself for enrolling in this course. You probably will not thank yourself until June when the exam is over and you are reflecting on your work. You just got to keep pushing through. Develop the perseverance because you will need that in college. I am so thankful I took this course. I can easily tell my writing is above my peers, and my work ethics have improved. Last thing: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. You will not survive your junior year. Save yourself stress, get things done before they are due. Your sleep schedule will drastically improve, your stress levels will decrease, you honestly will be overall happier. This course is not going to be easy. I was a straight A student before I got into junior year. After stressing many times, I soon realized getting a B in an AP level class is darn good. When your junioritis kicks in mid April, just remember it's not real and it's all in your head. Do not let junioritis take you over.
You are in charge of your future path. You decide whether you want to slide by in the course, or get as much out of it as you can. Your grades will not define what you have learned, they also do not define what kind of student you are. Neither does your AP score, neither does your midterm or final grades. It is extremely easy to obsess over a grade, and it is okay to check Sapphire twice a day. But once you start thinking that your grades are changing the kind of student you are, that's when you need to take a step back and look at the big picture. You didn't take the course to boost your GPA, you took it to improve your writing. Always go back to the big picture. Because in five years from now it won't matter what grade you got in 11th grade AP English, what will matter is when you get an A on that college paper because of your wicked writing skills. If you ever need help or guidance at any time during the year, never hesitate to contact me! I would love to help you succeed on your APELC journey.
Former APELC Student,
Sami Neumann
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