So I am currently a sophomore and for my junior year I don’t know whether or not to take AP Lang or the default English 11 Honors. My grade in English this year was a B- (80%) but my writing grades averaged at ~86%. Currently I only have 1 AP Class (Macro) and next year I am taking: Pre-Calc, German 3 Honors, AP Euro, Chem, Orchestra, Psychology, and Mythology. My main concern with taking AP Lang is too much homework, this year homework is stressing me out and I have usually around 2 and a half hours of homework a night. Please give me some advice on whether I should take it or not. (Also, a bunch of my friends are taking it.)
AP Language was my favorite class. You should only take classes that you’re interested in and genuinely want to learn in. Grades mean absolutely nothing. I promise you that your English grades sophomore year will not have any affect on your English grades junior year. If you don’t think you can handle it, then don’t do it. But if you actually want to develop your skills (especially with the SAT and college essays coming up) it’s a great class.
You will learn and be challenged. I’d advise taking it; two APs shouldn’t be that much more homework. Good luck!
I’d also recommend it because of the peers it will put you with. I don’t know what type of school you go to, but at mine (public HS) the non-AP core classes consist of a lot of slackers and people you won’t get much out of being around.
AP Language was my favorite AP class as well. The course is focused almost solely on rhetoric. At least in my case, we got to read many many nonfiction opinion pieces and essays. It was a nice change from analytical papers on the classics. Don’t get me wrong, I love literature, but I think AP Lang really rounds out one’s English background. Also, the AP test isn’t super challenging.
I second what chunkers44 says – I decided to take a non-honors/AP science class one year and the difference in education quality was drastic. It wasn’t so much the teacher as it was the disinterested students. Having engaged, intelligent peers in class makes a huge difference. Definitely opt for the AP.
How much homework do you get a night?
The amount of homework obviously varies by school, but I had about an hour a night (vs. 2-2.5 for AP Literature).
Wow, different schools really have different workloads. I spend three hours a day on average, and according to my school’s estimations, I’ll have four hours next year…
@SharkBite - That was just for AP Lang, my lightest class. I usually have 4-6 hours of homework per night.
Oh, sorry. That’s rather… unfortunate
I agree with what everyone above said- it is definitely a valuable course to take, but in my opinion (I’m taking it this year) it is a lot of busy work. Last night I spent 4 hours alone on my AP Lang homework. That has never happened before, but there is definitely a lot of homework involved. If you are stressed with the homework this year, I would probably warn against it. I do about 4 or 5 hours of homework a night, and often spend 7 hours over the weekend doing homework. Only you know what your capable of but I would just take that into consideration.
Schools definitely are different, I agree! My Lang had basically no homework. 
If anyone goes to Pennsbury that would help alot.
Too much homework builds charecter. Go on
@BerkleyGG Too bad it doesn’t help you spell better ;(