APs at Stuy: How Students Use the Summer to Get Ahead

Though summer vacation is intended to be a break from the academic year, it can look very different for students at Stuyvesant. Some students go on vacation with their families, others are focused on internships and summer programs, and many seniors begin to turn their attention to college applications. Of the endless possibilities of summer, it is a common practice for students to use their time to study for Advanced Placement (AP) classes they intend to take the following year. 

The reasons why students focus on AP classes in the summer can vary. There are noticeable discrepancies between different AP classes and their summer assignments; for some, it is not a choice, but a prerequisite for the school year. For example, many AP classes, such as AP Computer Science A, have summer assignments that must be completed before the school year begins. Other classes, such as AP United States (U.S.) History—for the first time this year—have supplemental materials, notably a list of suggested books. Using these supplemental materials was optional. As a result, students had a choice in deciding whether to utilize it or not. “I ended up not reading the books they sent out because when I spoke to upperclassmen about it, it didn’t seem that it would significantly help me prepare for the course or the exam,” junior Seoyeon Yu said. “It’s really a decision someone has to make to figure out what works best for them because only they can know.” 

Beyond mandated summer homework or optional supplemental materials, students still choose to study during the summer on their own to avoid falling behind once the school year begins. This is especially true for more rigorous courses such as AP Chemistry or AP Calculus BC, where students may introduce themselves to the material beforehand to have some sort of preparation. “Over the summer, I joined Jeffrey Yang’s self-study course for AP Chemistry for half a month, where I learned introductory maths such as significant figures and dimensional analysis,” sophomore Benjamin Xie said. Those skills are foundational for an AP Chemistry course.

Studying for AP classes can look different depending on the skill set required to flourish in the specific subject. In an email interview, junior Jayden Vallejo discussed reviewing relevant material in preparation for AP English Language and Composition, AP Precalculus, and AP U.S.  History—courses that do not have required summer assignments. “I haven’t studied too much, but for AP Precalculus, I’ve been reviewing Algebra II. For AP U.S. History, I’ve been going over Heimler and other YouTube videos to refresh, and for AP Lang, I’ve just been reading a lot,” Vallejo shared.

Combatting the loss of educational stimuli by reviewing previous material and continuing academic habits into the summer can be beneficial to prepare for APs because many AP classes build on previous knowledge. “I think it does help. I didn’t review [AP] Precalc, so sometimes I have to pause a little bit in [AP Calculus] BC. In my experience, reviewing old content has been helpful for creating foundational knowledge for a new subject,” senior Sofia Lawrence advised.  

While some students choose to review past material, others start studying the official AP curriculum over the summer, allowing them to enter the class with some prior knowledge. This approach is especially helpful for classes where the concepts taught the previous year won’t necessarily apply. “Make a timeline, set clear goals, and stick to them. If you’re consistent in review and practice, you’ll be miles ahead of others and more than prepared for the AP exams,” Vallejo advised.

Though many students, either through their own volition or through school, prepare for AP classes ahead of them, it is just as common for students to choose not to study during the summer. Some students even claim that studying for APs in advance is definitely not required to do well in the academic year, and sometimes can have the opposite effect. “Teachers often teach in very specific styles, so learning content beforehand may not help or go against the framework the teacher might use. Ultimately, I’m also afraid to mislearn something and have to unlearn, then relearn it,” Lawrence explained. “I personally learn best guided by a teacher, and without summer learning, I’ve still done very well in my AP classes and exams.” Attempting to get ahead of a curriculum that isn’t guaranteed to be taught in a standardized way can end up confusing students. 

Additionally, students may want to use their summer in other ways. “It’s the summer before my senior year, and personally, I would rather put my attention towards college applications and my internship than things I can compartmentalize to the school year,” Lawrence said.

There is no universal guide to self-studying, so the decision to self-study and how you do so is up to you. “Don’t feel forced to self-study anything. You’re only giving yourself more work, so only do it if you find that work worthwhile,” Xie added.

Inevitably, every student will have a different approach to their AP preparation during the summer. Whether or not you decide to prepare for an AP course in advance is up to you. It’s important to consider that even though you can use the summer to get ahead of your courses, the summer is ultimately your time to relax from school. Even if you do study in advance, it’s important to destress as well. Instead of viewing the summer as a continuation of the school year, it’s important to recognize that it is a break, and only you can know the best way to spend your break.