AP Lit, Advanced Placement Literature, has held the title for the hardest English class at Arlington High School. Taught by Mrs. Smithson, the class challenged students and prepared them for college. But now, everything has changed.

This 2018-19, there is no AP Lit class offered at Arlington High School. As a result, those who signed up for the class had no other choice but to find a different English class. Many fled to College Writing and some to the Elements of Lit, both college prep classes.

Yet are they content with where they are?

Jonathan Schroeder (‘12), better known as JT, was a little bummed that AP Lit is not available. However, he is not too torn up inside. JT has taken many advanced classes in his high school career and is okay taking a slight break from the numerous advanced classes.

“I’m glad I’m in college writing,” he says.

JT originally signed up for AP Lit because it was a challenge he wanted to take on and it would prepare him for college classes. Yet, he finds that College Writing is proving to be just as meaningful as AP Lit would have been.

Devyn Peek (‘12) did not sign up for AP Lit but feels that College Writing is just as meaningful as an AP class. In Mrs. Chappel’s class, they examine different aspects of college outside of writing and implement strategies.

“We talk a lot about study habits and interactions. We also work on different papers for college applications,” says Peek.

With the growing numbers at Arlington High School, classrooms change and shift constantly with each new year. It is possible that next year AP Lit will resurface and run again. Either way, the Legacy of the AP Lit survivors will reign on.

JT evaluates the situation as the school fitting classes to students instead of trying to fit students in classes. This way students get more of the classes they want.

Yet, even without an AP Lit class on campus, students have still been able to find what they need to prepare for their futures after high school.

According to Peek, College Writing really focuses on the college aspect to prep students for the atmosphere found in higher levels of education while still remaining friendly enough for high school students.

In the end, the lack of and AP Lit class has not negatively affected students at Arlington High School.