As AHA transitions into its third trimester, students taking an Advanced Placement (AP) class begin to prepare for their AP exams in May. Many students have settled into their course load, including the amount of homework or the frequency of tests. The Blue & Gold is writing a series of articles that offers a glimpse into AP classes that sophomores and juniors are thinking of taking from a current student’s perspective.

Many students know the rigor of AP courses at AHA in core academic areas such as science, English, and history, but there also are AP classes that exist outside of typical academia. AHA offers AP Art and Design, the most intensive art course at AHA, which allows students to explore all types of mediums, techniques, and surfaces. Throughout the year, students create work that reflects a theme of their choosing. 

The main difference between a typical AP class and an AP art class is the type of exam at the end of the year. In contrast to the standard AP multiple choice and written test in May, AP Art students are scored based on a digital portfolio they submit composed of their work from the year-long class. The portfolio is built up of two parts: the Sustained Investigation and Final 5 Works. The Sustained Investigation is built up of 15 small studies, pieces of art, or progress checks that represent the investigatory aspect and maintain the consistency of their theme. The Final 5 Works section is made up of five big completed pieces that dive into the deeper meaning of the theme and show technical skill, artistic knowledge, and thought composition. This class is a year-long course, different from the typical trimester-long classes such as Intro to Painting or Drawing. AP Art student Kiah Atiq ‘24 says, “Having access to different types of mediums and learning new techniques makes this class so much more versatile than any other art class I’ve taken.” 

One thing to note is that this class is smaller than most, capping at about 15 students each year. Each student is chosen by the course instructor, Andrea Bagdon, the year prior. If one is interested in taking AP Art, there is a prerequisite of at least one intro level art class and students are recommended to take Studio Art. Overall, AP Art is a fun, interactive course that allows students to exercise creativity and artistic freedom.