APs Are Over. What Comes Next?

Walls students took AP season by storm. They filled their backpacks to the brim with meticulously curated notes. They recited facts about the Mongols and memorized the formula for Trapezoidal Riemann Sums. They crammed for hours into the night, Khan Academy and Heimler’s History lulling them to sleep. 

Now though, Penguins find themselves considering the post-AP season and all the exciting prospects that come with it. 

AP teachers can be  inconsistent and vague about their lesson plans. Students have different ideas about what they will use their free time for. What does this post-AP season actually entail? The Rookery conducted a poll of AP students at Walls to see what was actually to come. 

According to a poll of 19 students, 26.3% plan to begin “sleeping” after APs are over. This makes sense, as 89.9% of students reported staying up past 10 pm during the AP season. Many Penguins find themselves with ruptured sleep schedules because of late-night studying for both APs and non-AP classes. The constant need to practice seems to give them no choice but to stay up late. 

This desire to return to a normal schedule is common among the SWW student body. The consensus is that everyone wants to be done with APs. When asked what they were most excited about for the post-AP season, 37% of students said they were looking forward to the lack of stress. Irene Wiegand-Vera (‘25) said, “I’m excited for the weight to be off of my shoulders.” Many Penguins see this season as the end of an era rather than the start of a new one. 

On the other end of the spectrum, many see the post-AP season as the chance to start something new. AP studying often forces students to pull away from their favorite activities. A few Penguins reported that the post-AP season is an opportunity to make up for lost time. Chiara Galloway (‘25) said, “I’m gonna get back into all of my art projects.” Van Harlee (‘24) said, “[I’m excited to start] playing spike ball during class.”

Some Penguins are indifferent about the post-AP season, mostly because they have had other priorities that were just as important to them as APs throughout the year. 

Julia Kelly (‘24) said “Nothing changes [for me in the post-AP season because] I didn’t really do much work anyways.” This mindset of not putting unique emphasis on AP exams can be  beneficial for one’s mental health, as APs can be extremely stressful. Kelly (‘24) gave her mental health a 8/10 rating. 42% of juniors who participated in the survey reported to be taking more than three APs. 100% of juniors who participated in the survey reported having a mental health level of 7/10 or lower. 

Ben Maniscalco (‘25) said “[I am most excited about] not feeling like I have to spend all my available time studying.” On the other hand, 80% of seniors who took the survey reported to have a mental health level of 7/10 or higher. This heightened mental health level is mostly likely due to a lack of stress over college admissions. After four years of constant academic duress, it’s understandable that many 12th graders would feel a sense of relief in these final months. 

While SWW Penguins may have one idea for their post-AP season, teachers may have other plans. 68% of students who took the Rookery’s survey reported expecting some kind of additional work in the post-AP season. 

The post-AP season holds many exciting opportunities for the SWW community. Whether they are resting or working on their next project,  it’s safe to say that Penguins are interested to see what’s next.