Why do we get AP summer work?

Question

AP courses are supposed to be the equivalent of college courses right? And I don't think (correct me if I'm wrong) that college students get work to do over the summer before their courses. So why do we have to? If it's to make sure we finish the curriculum in time for the AP tests well college kids have a month off for break and still manage to finish in may.

Answer 1

Well, not all schools give AP summer work. I took AP World History last year, and didn't get any (some schools do give work for it though, since 10,000 years is a lot to cover). I came in on the first day and was stunned when my teacher immediately gave us 7 different text books. I'm taking AP Stat this year, and I don't have any summer work for that either.

However AP English and AP language (Spanish, etc) both get summer work so there's something to start working off of when you come back in August/September.

I feel for you. I think it's because college classes are longer, you have classes pretty every weekday (whereas in school, you get the sporadic Staff Development day and snow days if you're lucky), you're loaded with more homework, and the professors are probably less hands on and expect you to figure more things out on your own (plus they get paid more to teach...so, supposedly they should do a better job).