Former Student Thoughts on AP at South
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!
Julia Wu, Grad 2025
Harvard, USA
“The AP Seminar and Research program at Burnaby South has genuinely rebuilt and transformed my writing and researching skills. I’ll be honest, it’s not sunshine and rainbows, but now that I’m in university, I can confidently say that the Capstone program brought my skills up to speed with university expectations. This program teaches you to think and write in a way that is not often taught in regular classes, but is vital to succeeding in the academic field regardless of what you want to study.”
Saudah Gazi, Grad 2022
University of British Columbia, BC
“I moved to Burnaby South in Grade 9 because I craved the challenges which came with the rigorous, fast-paced environment that AP classes had to offer. Every AP class I took was unique in its close-knit community and learning activities, and the accelerated pace eased my transition to university in terms of time-management, discipline, and prioritizing my workload.”
Linda Lin, Grad 2020
Stanford, US
South’s AP program was critical in helping me explore subjects that interested me beyond what the high school curriculum offered. It drove me to capitalize on my strengths and work on my weaknesses as a student, which helped immensely in preparing me for the rigour of university. Most importantly, the AP program has given me my best and closest friends, who continue to inspire me to grow intellectually and purse my passions.”
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!”
Burnaby South’s AP program has helped these individuals succeed in post-secondary education. Let the program help YOU or YOUR CHILD as well!