WOODBURY — It’s a common understanding that many sophomores and juniors load up on some of the most rigorous courses available, GPAs, college transcripts, and build the skills necessary for college. With Nonnewaug offering so many AP and ECE courses, students are always considering taking the challenge, but are they worth it? 

The answer is nothing short of a resounding yes. 

Laila Jones, a junior being close to her senior year, tries to take as much as possible so she won’t have them in college. 

“I’m choosing to take these classes [ECE microeconomics/macroeconomics, ECE Spanish, AP Research, and AP/ECE Lang] because it’s less expensive for me to do it right now, rather than in college,” Jones said.  

Jones also adds that she’s doing it to not better her wallet, but to better herself. 

“It also mentally prepares me to be more well rounded, and do a better job at focusing on a bunch of different things at once,” Jones added. 

This year, we have more college ECE classes than ever before. I think that’s growing, more and more students are registering for them

Navigating with the expense of paying to be in these classes can be a struggle, but can benefit students in the long run.  

“The cost differs with each of the ECE and AP classes- usually it’s around $150-$200, but honestly it’s worth it considering I don’t have to do it in college,” Jones said. “The nice part about it is you don’t have to take any exams with the ECE.”

Toby Denman, a science teacher who teaches AP bio, found that it’s mostly for looking good for colleges to be able to get in. 

“I know there’s several kids that have loaded up on APs, and there’s kids that are as many as 4 or 5,” Denman said. “One part is probably the perception or actuality of the societal pressure to make yourself as marketable as you can for college applications, but then also if you’re taking the course for the nature of its purpose, you’re hopefully trying to do as well as you can to get college credit.” 

Chris Maclean adds onto Denman on the worthy cost of taking these courses.

“So it’s an expense to start, but may be saving you money in the end or if it doesn’t save you money, it at least makes part of your college experience a little lighter, because it fills in the spot of the other classes,” Maclean said. 

In addition to the increased rigor, students like Iris Messore, a sophomore taking an AP class, sees a refreshing dynamic in these high-level courses.

“I’m taking AP European history,” Messore said.  “It is definitely a hard class but history is very interesting to me and I wanted to learn more about it.” 

Another part of students wanting to take AP and ECE courses as a highschooler is to look good when colleges are scouting. 

“I think that parents and students see the value in them because one, It looks good on your transcript, for those who are really focused on their GPA it gives it extra weight,” Maclean said. “It can also help you in terms of college credits, we have students coming back all the time that basically started college as a second semester freshman because of all the ECE credits.”

Denman adds to Maclean on the jump you could take just by getting yourself involved in these classes. 

“There’s been kids that have so many college credits already that they’re basically sophomores in college when they are freshman in college, so I mean there’s a lot that goes into it.” Denman said.  

This piece is an opinion piece written by NHS editor Ava Hirleman ’27.