North Garland offers a variety of college-level classes for upperclassmen. The majority of these classes are Advanced Placement (AP) or Dual Credit (DC). AP classes are accepted all over the country, but DC classes are only accepted by some colleges within the state of Texas. Students taking these classes can receive college credit while still attending high school, which could potentially make them eligible to graduate from college sooner.

Senior Shana Thomas, who is enrolled in four AP classes, agrees that AP classes are beneficial to students who want to prepare themselves for college.

“They’re more rigorous,” Thomas said. “You work independently. Nobody’s going to baby you when you get out of high school.”

In order to prepare students for AP/DC classes, sophomores can take pre-AP classes. Students adjust to the AP environment and learn study techniques to help them in AP classes. However, some students feel that college-level classes are a negative influence. Junior Hunter Chavez felt that pre-AP Chemistry discouraged creativity and made him feel like a “sheep.”

“I didn’t feel welcome[d] at all,” Chavez said. “The standards were unrealistic.”

Other students interviewed have stated that AP classes would be overwhelming, or that they did not feel smart enough to take them in the first place. There is a large gap in the amount of information students in regulars classes receive compared to DC or AP students. AP goes much more in depth and calls for more homework and dedication to the class.

“[Take an AP class] if you feel like you can handle it,” Chavez said. “Otherwise it’s a waste of time.”