Everyday when seniors at Tucson High Magnet School Charles Becker and Mercedes de la Ossa walk into class, theyre not just preparing for their AP test; theyre preparing for college.
They do a really good job of emulating a beginning-like college course, Becker said about his advanced placement courses.
Throughout high school theyve both taken at least 10 A.P. classes.
De la Ossa started taking them her freshman year and realized she enjoyed the rigorous curriculum.
I ended up really liking it and it just pushed me to take more and more and more, de la Ossa said.
Becker is currently taking AP micro and macro economics, AP government, and AP statistics. Theyre classes he feels are preparing him for his future job.
I really want to go into business so some of the AP classes I cater around are ones that are semi in my field like economics or statistics, he said.
The Tucson Unified School District said about 35 percent of students in the district currently take advanced learning experiencing classes, which dont just include AP classes.
They also include programs like dual credit classes, IB lcasses, honors classes, middle school courses for high school and the AVID program.
Advanced classes are giving students like Becker an opportunity to connect with students who want to take more challenging courses.
They enjoy working with students who also share that same mindset, he said about his fellow classmates.
Connecting like-minded individuals with similar interests is how TUSD is hoping to expand their advanced learning experiences classes.
They also said next school year some schools might add science, music and Spanish classes and they are also hoping to expand their AVID program to reach more students.
Next year de la Ossa is going to Northern Arizona University and said its advanced classes that she took in high school that helped her reach her potential.
It gives a good foundation for the classes I will take in college, she said.
Meanwhile, Becker is going to the University of Arizona and said the advanced classes he took in high school are helping him reach his goals.
Its good to encourage students to really take that step, he said.