WJ offers a wide variety of AP courses in all subject areas. Many have become popular for students to take at some point during their four years here, such as AP World History or AP Calculus, which have multiple teachers and hundreds of students enrolled. But some of the other AP courses offered are much less known and rarely taken by students. Usually more specialised and in-depth, these courses offer a chance for interested students to explore their interests at an advanced level.
AP Seminar
AP Seminar is a course that few WJ students know is offered, or let alone that it exists. The course is centered around analyzing and then synthesizing sources to present an argument. Students have the opportunity to choose interesting topics to investigate. After gathering evidence and crafting an argument, students either present their ideas in writing or through live presentations.
“It’s good to take because the writing helps you perform better for college essays or anything in the future,” sophomore Ila Rasouli said about the class. “It’s also good to collaborate with other people which helps to find different perspectives.”
AP African American Studies
AP African American Studies allows students to learn about the history, challenges and achievements of African Americans through various perspectives and sources. This class is all about getting a better understanding of different African American experiences.
“I’m excited that we have this class to give a different light to something everyone should know about,” AP African American Studies teacher Allison Ewing said.
Right now, Ewing teaches two periods of AP African American studies, which is about 55 students. This is the first school year that it has been possible for any school to offer the course as long as they arrange for it to be an option.
AP Music Theory and Composition
WJ offers AP Music Theory as an advanced music course, but only one class of students are enrolled this year. In this class, students are able to hone their music reading, music writing and singing skills. Students are exposed to a wide variety of music, and throughout the course they learn to pull out musical concepts and elements from what they are hearing. Andrea Morris teaches AP Music Theory at WJ.
“It’s not really a secret in the music department that it’s a very difficult class,” Morris said. “We’re really discussing the grammar of music and how it works, so it breaks music down into a very academic study.”
AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism
Out of the lesser known AP courses offered at WJ, AP Physics C E&M may be the most challenging. The course covers many difficult concepts that all relate to electricity and magnetism are involved in common machines and devices.
“[E&M] has a reputation of being a hard class so people are put off by it. If you’re interested in the topic, you should definitely take it because it’s good as an introductory course for college,” senior Marie Palayer said.
The course does require students to be proficient in calculus, as it is used to conduct experiments and analysis. Students of this course take it after a year, or semester of the prerequisite, AP Physics C Mechanics.
AP Spanish Literature and Culture
As the most advanced Spanish course offered at WJ, AP Spanish Literature is taught completely in Spanish. It covers 38 literary works throughout the year spanning from medieval Spanish literature to 20th century South American literature. The course moves at a fast pace and requires a high level of Spanish comprehension, which is why many students chose to take it after AP Spanish Language and Culture. There is only one section of AP Spanish Literature and Culture this year taught by Samuel Álvarez-García.
“I think people think that the class is harder than it actually is, but since Mr. Álvarez is the teacher, it’s at a comfortable difficulty level,” junior Ulises Cantor said.
