Former Student Thoughts on AP at South
Do you want to know what former Advanced Placement (AP) students think about South’s AP Program? Then keep reading below!
Catherina Pan, Grad 2014
Princeton University, USA
“Because of South’s rigorous AP program, I feel confident and well-prepared for university; I was enriched intellectually by the challenges AP courses offered, and the maturity and discipline they demanded have undoubtedly made me a better student.”
Jacqueline Shen, Grad 2014
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
“Honours and AP courses introduced me to classes of students who were just as engaged as I was. Although the workload was at times difficult to manage, I liked the accelerated pacing of the courses, and I would recommend the Honours program to students who likewise want a challenge.”
Bronte Lim, Grad 2014
Harvard University, USA
“The Honours and AP program are the perfect solution for students who feel underwhelmed in a typical classroom. Honours and AP taught me more course material, but more importantly challenged me, and taught me to challenge myself.”
Agnes Mei, Grad 2013
University of Pennsylvania, USA
“I got full scholarship when I was accepted to UPenn and I also received a lot of offers from other prestigious universities such as Columbia University and New York University. I could not have obtained such great achievements without South’s AP and Honours program. During my three years at South, I took AP Statistics, AP Psychology, AP English, AP Chinese, AP European History, and AP Microeconomics. I also self studied AP Macroeconomics and AP Calculus. With the support and help from all the teachers, AP coordinator and administrators, I was able to get all 5s in the exams that I had taken. These AP courses not only gave me a taste of university academic life, but also set me apart among all the talented and intelligent applicants when I applied to ivy league schools. These courses proved to the admission committee that I had the ability to strive in university. Also, I loved the academic environments in the AP courses classrooms. Everyone in the program was motivated and had a strong passion towards learning. It was in these kinds of environments that I was inspired to challenge myself and learn from my peers. Taking AP courses was one of my best memories at South and was a decision that I will forever be thankful for! ”
Griffin Tench, Grad 2012
University of British Columbia, Science
“The Honours program at Burnaby South provides an excellent opportunity to work in an environment much better suited to one’s abilities. The classes are filled with people who come to class prepared for whatever is required of them. This allows all students to demonstrate their full abilities. If one has the sufficient ability to do so, taking an Honours course can be one of the best choices they make in high school.”
Shamil Asgarli, Grad 2010
University of British Columbia, Science
“I decided to take AP courses because it is a prestigious program and its curriculum is broader than regular grade 12 courses. In AP classes, students are more inclined to learn, discover and share their knowledge. After doing well on my exams, I decided to use all of my credits which amounted to 22 credits, saving me $3,000. I am no taking any first year physics or chemistry or math and am now currently taking 2 second year math courses instead. It was a challenge to write the 3 hour long AP exams, but the experience was irreplaceable.”
Diane Currie, Grad 2010
University of British Columbia, Engineering
“I think AP is a great idea – I had a huge head start on everyone else because of physics, chemistry and calculus. Also I’ve talked to a lot of my friends about it and a lot of them wanted to take AP courses but went to schools that were too small to have them. I’d definitely encourage them to take advantage of it!”
Jeremy Cleveland, Grad 2010
University of British Columbia, Physics/Astronomy
“South’s AP program has helped me a lot with my academic goals. It has given me more options in university, provided me with a facilitative learning environment with intelligent individuals, and prepared me well for my current workload. In short, South’s AP program has helped me get ahead, cope with homework, and simply enjoy learning.”
Michelle Zhang, Grad 2010
University of Waterloo, Mathematics
“I took AP courses because I was uncertain about what I wanted to do as a career; especially when I needed to decide on which university I wanted to apply to. Therefore, AP courses provided me with an opportunity to find out, whether or not I was suitable for a faculty and if I really like the subject material. Most importantly, writing the AP exam and scoring a 4 or 5 saved me lots of MONEY, plus TIME!”
Spencer Li, Grad 2007
Duke University (USA), Economics
“I’m really glad I did the AP program at South. The teachers were excellent and made each class incredibly fascinating and intellectually engaging. It was really the best preparation I had for Duke.”
Eric Lu, Grad 2007
SFU, Science
“I took AP calculus BC, physics B, chemistry, and biology during my time at Burnaby South. These courses really helped me a lot in preparation for university. The AP style is very similar to that of university courses: heavier workload and the big exams. The AP program not only has challenged me during high school, but has also made my transition to university much smoother. Even though I chose not to use all my AP credits, but I am able to ace the courses that took AP for, since AP provided a very effective preview.”
Mary Cheung, Grad 2006
UBC, Science
“I have found that the AP courses and exams have been a substantial help to me. For passing the biology one I had 6 credits, and 6 credits for the psychology one. Money-wise $100-$200 or so for an AP exam isn’t very much because the courses that these AP courses cover are more expensive than that (more than $300, not including textbooks), and it can buy you time during your first year to rest. It gives you more time to work on your other courses, and also allows you to schedule these courses more efficiently because one (or more) of your required first year courses has already been taken care of. The AP program provided an excellent preview to college level courses.”
Rusi Kolev, Grad 2005
University of Toronto, Engineering Science
“The AP program has provided me with more knowledge about subjects I was originally interested in. The classes were tougher compared to the regular ones, but they definitely prepared me better for university life. In fact the book we are using right now in my first year Calculus class is the same as the one used in school. I would recommend the AP program for anyone going into university. You should take AP courses in high school because there are more people willing to help if you encounter questions. In university, everything is fast-paced and there is little time to study.”
Yegor Rabets, Grad 2005
UBC, Engineering
“Those who have taken Advanced Placement courses find it much easier to keep up with the fast-paced lessons in large lecture halls. There are financial benefits too! Each exam that you decide to challenge can potentially grant you up to 6 university credits (equivalent to over $800). It may also spare you from having to take first-year courses like English and Calculus, which tend to be extremely difficult.”
Travis Wong, Grad 2005
SFU, Business
“The AP program has enriched my life by providing me with the tools to be a successful academic career. Not only did it help me strive for my personal best, but it gave me a head start going into university. The AP program gives its students a taste of good work ethic and time management essential for success in university. The AP program has changed my life and I recommend it to all students who are up to the challenge.”
Burnaby South’s AP program has helped these individuals succeed in post-secondary education. Let the program help YOU or YOUR CHILD as well!