Hear it straight from the “horse’s mouth.” (PACE Alumni) Jasmine Chan UC San Diego The AP classes I took at Kennedy have helped me in college by allowing me to fulfill GE or even sometimes major unit requirements. By taking these courses, it allowed me to be better prepared to take and pass the AP test which in turn grants a student course units that can be used in college. I wish that I had taken more AP tests/courses because many of my friends who came in with more AP testing units had earlier registration dates and were able to take at least 3-4 less classes at the university level. This helps because it allows you to spend more time on other classes and lets you have a reduced class load each quarter/semester. Raymond Chan Stanford I am glad I took AP classes at Kennedy because they gave me a small taste of what college classes would be like in terms of workload. I not only learned valuable time-management skills, but also improved my writing, critical thinking, and mathematical skills through those classes. Kennedy Rauh Cornell Michelle Wong Cal, BA, Masters Cornell, Phd. Monica Wan Cal Thomas Harris Sac State I took 9 AP courses while at Kennedy. These courses began to prepare me, not only for the tests, but for the advanced classes I would soon be taking. I learned to write and think more quickly and under more pressure. I was challenged in the majority of these classes and admit I did not get As in all of them; however, my individual development, by the end of the semester, was obvious. There is no doubt that these classes helped me get into Cornell and prepared me for the college level. Unfortunately, due to the curriculum for my major and the way the university is run, none of the AP credits I earned in high school helped me “get ahead.” I would strongly recommend each student challenge themselves with AP courses, no matter what their plans are for the future. I am glad I took AP classes at Kennedy because they (1) provided the environment to think about college and help get students into college (2) the AP history and English classes helped me develop my writing skills for college (three years with Reynaga!) and (3) building relationships with other PACE students really helped develop my social capital knowledge of how to apply for college and succeed in school. They are still my best friends to this day! The field trips and community service requirements really pushed me to choose my majors in sociology and environmental biology in college. The AP classes I have taken at Kennedy have given me better registration times for my classes at UC Berkeley. They have allowed me to be able to pass out of certain introductory classes, the most important ones being English, calculus/statistics, and the social sciences. It is important to note that having taken a lot of AP classes helps you in courses where on average, most people already have advanced knowledge. Therefore, I highly recommend my fellow students to help prepare your selves for a challenging academic environment in the future. AP classes, dare I say, are now essential, rather than optional. I am glad I took AP classes at Kennedy because it was better to come into college with credits instead of having a blank slate. With it getting more and more difficult to get the classes you want in college, anything you can do now to benefit in the future you should take advantage of. Without taking AP classes, you can't guarantee yourself getting out of your university in 4 years. In terms of having a career and making money, I would rather not tack another year of debt on to myself if I didn't have to. Daniel Li Cal By taking AP classes at Kennedy, I grew in intellectual self-confidence. I was able to actively explore a large breadth of topics with a level of depth that wasn't readily available elsewhere. The interesting material taught by passionate teachers kept motivating me to learn more. Additionally, I was surrounded by bright peers that not only continually pushed me to think smarter, but also taught me the value in working together. Although juggling AP classes with extracurricular activities was not easy, doing so taught me to be a quick learner and to manage my time better through self-discipline. Now at UC Berkeley, I am able to confidently apply the foundational critical thinking skills I have gained through enrolling in various AP courses. I am able to confidently explore different fields and topics quickly and deeply. Matt Nakatomi Cal Poly Pomona Olivia Wong UC Davis Chris Lew UC San Diego By taking AP classes you gain some much needed knowledge on information that is further taught later in college. The topics that you are introduced to in some of these courses proves to be very valuable especially in your first year of college when you are taking a lot of lower level classes. For my personal benefit, it was not the amount of credits that I got from the AP courses I took, it was the advantage that I had over many of my peers because I was introduced to a lot of information before coming to college. Taking AP courses do help, and regardless if the credits transfer over or not, the information that you learn in those classes is priceless. I am glad I took AP classes at Kennedy for a few reasons. Firstly, they prepared me for college course material a lot more than non-AP classes would have. I've felt more confident in certain subjects because of the knowledge that I gained from AP classes. Lastly and most importantly, I came into college with around 30 units (from passing AP exams). With this, I am a step ahead of most other freshman and have a better "pass time" when registering for classes. This is a huge deal; registering for classes is extremely stressful because there is a constant fear of not getting into the classes that you need to graduate. Therefore, anything, especially an earlier pass time, can help tremendously. I am glad I took AP classes at Kennedy because of I was able to experience intellectual growth and the freedom to express myself in a community of other driven individuals seeking the same enrichment. Not only that, but I was also graced with some of the best teachers in the school district, which is revealed in their extensive knowledge of their field, and passion which they derive their teaching from. These teachers never taught directly from the book, and always went above and beyond to make learning a process which should be enjoyed, rather than an obligatory notion. I am also glad of the AP courses I took at Kennedy because AP course units are almost necessary in a four-year university. The units guarantee earlier enrollment times for classes alongside the obvious preparation for difficult courses. I’m glad I took AP courses with PACE because the AP courses I took helped me earn early acceptance to UCSB as well as admission into the Honors Program. The Honors Program offered me earlier registration for courses and additional one-on-one time with professors. This enabled me to take my studies to the next levels as an Undergraduate Research Assistant and to finish my degree early. Tammy Ford graduate UC Santa Barbara Additionally, my course learnings prepared me for the quantity and quality of work expected at the university level. I found transitioning to college-level reading and essays a natural progression from the PACE reading list and in-class essays. Lastly, my AP course grades earned me college credit before even setting foot on campus. This put me ahead on my degree and allowed me to spend an entire year studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland because my schedule was not as restricted by General Education or Major Requirements . Jaron Seid UC San Diego The AP classes I took at Kennedy have helped me in college in the following ways: - higher priority in picking classes - better equipped for college level writing - saved me and my parents money because I didn’t have to take any history or writing classes - only had to take one math class in college since I passed AP Cal BC