Sophomore takes seven advanced placement tests

Student self-teaches advanced placement material

Nebyu Bekele

Thor Anderson studies for one of his upcoming AP tests. Anderson is taking seven AP tests this year.

Samiya Mohamed

Sophomore Thor Anderson, who has signed up for seven AP tests, said he is only taking two classes, studying the rest of them himself.

“I’m taking Statistics, European History, Computer Science A, Human Geography, Comparative Government and Politics, World History and Calculus BC,” Anderson said. “I’m self-studying for the rest.”

Anderson said he has self-taught himself by using different types of resources to help himself study for ones he’s not taking a class for.

“First I looked over the AP website to look over the key concepts and the main points and then I borrowed review books from the library and read through those and did the practice tests through those and now I’m watching through some review videos on youtube and I’m learning from those,” Anderson said.

AP European History teacher Jeff Cohen said that anyone can take or sign up for an AP test but not all will pass, though failing it won’t be a huge impact on one’s grade or their college acceptance.

“I even tell my students there’s not a huge downside to taking AP tests, now for him taking seven is expensive because it’s sixty or seventy dollars, but for some reason I won’t suspect (that) he won’t pass, so I encourage him and anybody to take as many as they think they can and want to study and prepare for,” Cohen said.

Junior Mari Hanchi said taking AP tests is a good opportunity to get college credits and that she would do it.

“(Anderson) is a pretty high achieving student and so I think he can do it but I don’t know how well he’s going to do on it especially if he’s taking the test on classes he’s not taking.hanchi said. I know of people who have taken AP tests of classes they don’t take just to get the college credit, I guess I would take that opportunity too,” Hanchi said.

Anderson said he’s mainly taking these tests because it can be a good learning experience for him and to get scholarships for college.

“Well I think it gives me a good chance to learn about the subjects that would otherwise be harder to do because the tests test you on a certain set of materials it’s going to be easier to study,” Anderson said “You’ll learn that specific set of things that’s going to be relevant to the topic and I’m also taking the tests because a lot of colleges will offer scholarships for each test that you take and do well on and so ideally I will have as many of those scholarships as possible.”

Anderson said that taking these AP tests will help him in his post-secondary education and will be a great opportunity.

“I would say that it’s definitely worth it, it takes a bit of an effort to learn but if you’ll learn the material well and then you can often get credit for a college degree or get a scholarship for a college.”Anderson said.