AP Classes and the Benefit of Rigor

Maria Bonnell ‘25 patiently awaits her AP African American Studies class to begin. Hayden Bates ’25 of The Ursuline

By Hayden Bates
February 10, 2025

TOLEDO, OH. — Whether a student has taken none or all 18 of them, Saint Ursula Academy students are no stranger to the offering of the school’s Advanced Placement courses. From AP Psych to AP Calculus there is something for virtually everyone.

Ciara Lalor ’25 has taken 10 of the 18 AP classes SUA offers. While humble about the accomplishment, Lalor admits it is not easy.

“You have to be willing to put in a lot of work,” said Lalor.

There is no set path for girls who wish to take AP. Kaiya Morgan-Thompson ‘25 is taking her first AP course during her senior year. 

There is a choice in the matter, unlike the International Baccalaureate Organization which is the alternative advanced studies program offered by some schools.. 

Once in the IB program students must complete all the required classes. However, if a student wishes to take an AP art class, they do not have to take the AP math class. 

There is no trade–off that demands students take all Advanced Placement classes. This gives AP students freedom that IB lacks. 

What normally turns students away from taking these challenging classes is fear of the course load or they have talked to someone who had a bad experience.

In order to combat this, it is important for students to reflect inwardly if they are truly passionate about a subject and are willing to work extra hard to complete the required work. 

SUA encourages all students to push themselves academically and test the limits of their mind. AP classes are a great way to implement that rigor to the SUA curriculum.

That rigor is paying off for many students. 

St. Ursula Academy’s passing rate is 85% across all AP exams. According to the AP College Board the national average is just 60%. 

The high passing rate of AP exams has also helped SUA’s overall school ranking. According to Niche.com, SUA ranks 36 out of 175 for best College prep school in all of Ohio.