AP Course Expectations
In order to be successful in the AP program, students will need to budget their time, taking into account the following:
- These are college-level courses.
- Study time varies by course and individual needs.
- Different instructors have different expectations.
- These courses will require more time than non-AP classes
- Students need to factor in time needed for after school activities
- Have at least a C (but preferably a B) in a previous related honors class or a B (but preferably an A) in a regular class
Class |
Amount of reading/class work |
Homework Hours |
Tests/ essays/ papers per quarter |
Major Projects or assignments per quarter |
| English | ||||
| AP English Language and Composition | Daily and long-term reading assignments together will average 25-30 pages per class | 1-2 hours per class: while daily out-of-class assignments may not require 1-2 hours, daily and long-term assignments together will average 1-2 hours per class | multiple timed writings, 2 major papers per quarter, biweekly vocabulary test, AP practice tests. Most writing will be done in class. | summer reading project; documented essay 2nd and 3rd quarters; ongoing reading logs for 4-5 supplemental literary works |
| AP English Literature | Daily and long-term reading assignments together will average 25-30 pages per class | 1-2 hours per class: while daily out-of-class assignments may not require 1-2 hours, daily and long-term assignments together will average 1-2 hours per class | 1-2 hours per class: while daily out-of-class assignments may not require 1-2 hours, daily and long-term assignments together will average 1-2 hours per class | 1 major project for each literary unit or novel studied; summer assignment; all projects, including the summer assignment, will be technologically generated and will incorporate documented research from scholarly articles. |
| Fine Arts | ||||
| AP Art Studio | Create 26 original art works for the exam. | 2 to 4 hours per week minimum | approximately 8 finished works per quarter | summer assignment; 4 major assignments/quarter; portfolio |
| Foreign Languages | ||||
| AP Spanish Language | 15 to 30 minutes of reading | 30 to 60 minutes per class | 1-2 speaking and writing exams/qtr; weekly quizzes to cover culture, listening, reading, vocabulary and grammar. | Summer assignments 1-2 projects / presentations per quarter |
| AP French | Read 30 minutes per class. | 30 to 60 minutes per class | quizzes/tests after unit, 1-2 essays, timed writings, and oral proficiency assignments | Summer assignments, Projects periodically through the year |
| AP Japanese | Read 30 minutes per class | 30-40 minutes per class | Kanji and vocab quiz every week One essay every other week | Summer assignment |
| Social Studies | ||||
| AP U.S. Government | College text, study guide, news sources | 1 hour per class | Timed multiple choice and essay exams, take home essays, daily quizzes | Community Service |
| AP Comparative Government | College text, study guide, news sources | 1 hour per class | Timed multiple choice and essay exams, take home essays, daily quizzes | Community Service |
| AP Micro/Macroeconomics | College text, study guide | 45 minutes per class | Timed multiple choice and free response tests and quizzes, flipped video presentations with problem sets done in class | No summer assignment |
| AP Psychology | Text and website reading Anatomy & Physiology & Statistics are helpful | 90 minutes per class Current events reading | Weekly tests of multiple choice, essays and short answer | One major project per semester Summer Assignment |
| AP U.S. History | College text, supplementary readings, primary, and ancillary sources | 3 hours per week (emphasis on homework is reading and note- taking) | Multiple choice, document-based and Long Essay essays (1-2 per unit) Short Answer Questions (1-2 per unit) Take home essays Note- taking is essential. | Summer Assignment Winter Break Review Self-Guided Assignment to a Historical Site End of Year Project |
| AP World History | College text and study guide | 90 minutes per class | 3 – 4 tests per quarter All tests have multiple-choice and essay sections. | Summer assignment Final project presentation Variety of mini-projects throughout the year |
| Math | ||||
| AP Computer Science | 30-60 pages every 2 weeks | 3 hours per week | 4 tests per quarter | Summer Project 4-6 major assignments |
AP Calculus (BC) AP Calculus (AB) | 10-15 problems per class | 2-2.5 hours per week | Study time for tests and quizzes means 2 to 3 hours of studying per test and 2-3 tests per quarter (studying should be replacing homework on test weeks) | Summer project due at the start of the year. One small project during the year. One larger project at the end of the year with time to complete the project allowed during class time. |
| AP Statistics | Read 15-25 pages/class 5-10 problems per class | 2-2.5 hours per week | Quizzes, worksheets, investigations regularly. 3-4 major test per quarter. 2-3 hours studying per test. (studying should be replacing homework on test weeks) | Summer assignment 2-3 small labs/projects or major assignments per year. Most of them can be completed in class. |
| Science | ||||
AP Biology (Students should take Anatomy and Physiology as a prerequisite or concurrently.) | Complete as many as 2 chapters per week; at least 1 hour of reading or study per class. *equivalent of 8-12 credit hrs of college science for pre-med, pre- dent, pre-vet, chem., & bio majors | At least 3 hours per week | 2 unit tests minimum per quarter; 2-3 AP labs per quarter; A book review per semester; | Summer assignment includes a reading in biology in preparation for year’s work; Various projects throughout the year which include two more book projects during the year. |
| AP Physics 1 & 2 | Read textbook; complete 2-4 problems per class. 3 labs per quarter | 1-2 hour reading and/or problem per class | 2-4 tests per quarter | Summer assignment |
| AP Chemistry | Read 30 to 40 pages every 2 weeks. 20-40 problems every 2-3 weeks *course equivalent of 8-12 credit hours of college science for pre-med, pre-dent, pre-vet, chem., & bio majors | 1-2 hours reading and/or problems per class | 60 minutes of homework each night; 2 or 3 tests plus 4 to 6 quizzes each quarter | Summer Assignment is the review of the first 3 chapters of the text-a review of chem. 1. No outside projects but some lab work might need to be finished after school. |
| AP Environmental Science | Approximately 1 chapter per week | No more than 1 hour per meeting | 4-5 quizzes per quarter, 2-3 tests per quarter, 2-3 lab reports per quarter | End-of-year project Summer Assignment |