Dear New APELC Student,
You have ahead of you probably one of the most difficult classes you have ever taken. While this may sound a little terrifying, don't be discouraged. Even if AP English seems to be hard towards the beginning, it gets easier as time goes by, and it's always a fun, interesting course.
You will probably get your summer essay back soon, and the grade you receive might be a little bit alarming compared to grades you received on essays in ninth and tenth grade. However, remember that the essay you wrote was a new type of analysis with a new grading system, so it's no wonder that you're not used to it. And, of course, that essay is just one grade in the first marking period, and you have plenty of time to improve. People often say that it's impossible to get an A in APELC, but this isn't true. It is true, though, that it's very difficult to get an A in the first marking period – only seven people did this year – but as the year went on, those numbers kept going up, and it's completely possible to get an A for the year even if you don't for the first quarter.
Throughout the year, you'll learn how to write analysis, argument, and synthesis essays. You'll use sources ranging from essays by famous philosophers like Thomas Hobbes to the Progressive advertisement in last month's TIME magazine. It may seem surprising, but you can actually write essays over 430 words long about the packaging of a bottle of fruit juice (trust me, I did just that for one of my TOW posts). One of the best things about AP English is that it exposes you to an amazingly wide variety of sources and truly opens your eyes to how much thought goes into a document, whether it's a movie poster or an essay by Henry David Thoreau.
Looking back on the year, I'm actually amazed that we managed to learn as much as we did in such a short amount of time. Not only did we learn how to write the various aforementioned essays, but also we learned extensively about grammar and vocabulary. While the class may seem daunting at times, it's definitely worth it.
I'll leave you with some parting tips:
1. Take your TOWs seriously. These are your best chances to improve your writing, and if you truly make sure you write the best TOW you can every week, you will notice your essays getting stronger and more effective.
2. Don't be afraid to ask for help! If you're stuck getting the same score on your essays for a long period of time (this happened to me during the winter), try going to Mr. Yost and/or Ms. Pronko. They can help go through your previous essays to see what you should change, add to, take away, etc. Their opinions are always helpful because, after all, they are the ones grading you!
3. Make the most out of it. Sometimes it's best to think of APELC as less a class and more an opportunity. If you read, write, and present everything simply with the goal of being successful on the exam, you'll miss out on one of the best parts of AP English – experiencing all kinds of writing. Of course, don't forget that the exam is coming (Mr. Yost's 5.08.15 poster will certainly remind you, regardless), but just don't forget to approach everything with an open mind.
Good luck! :)
Sincerely,
Annie Graves
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