by Josh Hindle
Senior year can is a very important year in one’s life. It is the final year before one goes off into the real world. For many, senior year is a time for taking some hard classes to make one’s self more appealing to colleges. If one does this, there is a choice that must be made.
Should I take an FCC or AP class? There are positives and negatives to both of these courses. FCC is more open ended and provides more of a college feel on a two days per week basis. AP is a more structured class that provides extra guidance and instruction from the teacher. Deciding which class to take is really a matter of preference and skill set.
FCC is perfect for those that can work well without much instruction or help from the teacher. If one needs a lot of assistance from the teacher in order to perform well in class, then they may want to consider AP instead. Either class is a great way to earn college credit and prepare for the rigors of a college classroom. However, there is one advantage to taking an FCC class; there is no AP test needed in order to receive the college credit. However, one needs a C or higher in order to earn college credit, so can have to give some effort throughout the class.
“I have really enjoyed my time in the FCC classes, because they really do a great job of preparing me for college” says Senior Jack Allman
One drawback to taking an FCC class is the cost. The cost of taking an FCC class here at Oakdale is about $140, way above the cost of the AP test. However, this price is miniscule when compared to the average cost of a college class at a four year university.
Another drawback of taking an FCC class is that one has to test into the FCC classes. If the scores are not high enough, sadly one is not be able to take an FCC class here at Oakdale.
There are those who also favor of taking an AP class. Oakdale Senior Andrew Forrest stated, “I personally prefer AP classes. They provide a more structured work environment, which I believe is essential to success.”
“Both classes provide a service, and it is up to the students to determine which is better.” remarks Dr. Schoder.
“FCC allows for development, learning , and assessment in ways that AP classes don’t allow for.” continued Dr. Schoder.
“I have enjoyed teaching both classes. They both have strengths and weaknesses.” stated Dr. Schoder, when asked which class he has prefered teaching.
Regardless of which path one chooses during their Senior Year, both FCC and AP are good paths to choose. I personally have enjoyed taking several FCC classes during my Senior year, but one can really not go wrong with either choice.
