A new group of freshmen is taking on the rigor of Advanced Placement (AP) courses for the first time, and many are beginning to feel the difference compared to their middle school and advanced classes.

Freshman Ananya Yanne described the shift as both challenging and eye-opening.

“Mostly it’s just like a lot of reading and notes,” Yanne said. “The tests are also way harder. We’ve only had two so far, but they’re timed and really difficult compared to our advanced classes.”

While the workload can feel overwhelming, teachers see the challenge as an opportunity for growth. AP Human Geography teacher Kassidy Scott believes her students are adapting well to the transition.

“I think the freshmen are kind of waking up a little bit—not necessarily in a bad way—but kind of getting a taste of the real world and what college is going to be like,” Scott said. “A lot of them have risen to the challenge and have really been doing great. I think it’s just going to take some time for some of them to really figure it out, but everything will work out.”