Before I get to the main point of this post, I just want to say that I can't believe this is my last TOW. It has been a long year of TOW writing, but it went so fast. Is this really TOW #30 already?
Dear New APELC Student,
So you have decided to take AP English Language and Composition this year. Good for you! This is a valuable and interesting class that will greatly help you improve your understanding of written English and your skills as a writer. It may be challenging at times but it will also be very rewarding.
AP courses are unique in that they have two goals: preparing you for the AP exam in May and educating you to have a lasting mastery of the subject matter. This means that while you will be discussing and learning about aspects of writing, you will also be practicing to be able to apply those to the essays on the exam. Prepare yourself to write a lot. There will be a handful of longer-term, take home essay assignments throughout the year, but there will be a lot of practice timed-essays in the style of the AP exam. You will have these several times a month, even multiple days a week at some points in the year. And then there are the Text of the Week assignments, which, as the name reveals, are due every week. (This right now sounds like an overwhelming amount of writing and work, but trust me, it is completely manageable.) This constant writing gives you so much opportunity to practice and improve your skills, to apply the concepts discussed in class. If, at the beginning of the class you find yourself struggling and not receiving the results you want on graded assignments, keep pushing forward. This class is designed to foster growth over the course of the year. Your writing will improve through practice and being in class.
I honestly think that if you put in the work and focus on learning, the grades will take care of themselves. And you will learn a lot this year. If you do the readings for homework, put effort into your practice essays, and pay attention and participate in class, you will be rewarded with deeper understandings, different perspectives, and new skills. My experience with all my AP classes has been that you get out of the course what you put into it. All the effort and handwork you put into your homework and projects and writing during the year will pay off not just on exam day but in all the growth you will notice in your writing and your understanding. Try not to stress yourself out, and in those moments when you do feel stressed, think of how rewarding it will be the day you walk out of that exam room feeling confident about how you did. (Being done with the AP exam is one of the best feelings in the world.)
You can do this! Don't forget to have fun with this class. Yes, it can be fun! For every boring essay prompt there is something interesting to discuss. And just wait until Toga Day.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Former APELC Student
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