Students will have two more opportunities to challenge themselves this upcoming school year.

Next year there will be an Advanced Placement class offered in government and politics to both juniors and seniors.

An AP course is a college course available to high school students who wish to challenge themselves.

A high school student can receive college credit for most AP classes by paying to take the AP exam and then scoring a 3, 4, or 5. Scoring standards vary between schools.

For instance, most of the major universities in Michigan will accept a 3 or better for the government class, except UM-Flint and Oakland University. They require at least a 4 to earn college credit, according to the CollegeBoard.

Mr. Andy Nester will be teaching AP U.S. Government and Politics.

Nester said next year there will be an exception for the juniors of this year who want to take the course.

“There will be one section for seniors. There will also be a year-long offer for juniors,” Nester said. “After next year, there will no longer be an offering for seniors.”

In addition, Mr. Michael Whalen will be teaching an AP economics class.

Whalen said in the 2016-17 school year juniors will take the full year course, while seniors will take a semester course.

Once the 2017-18 school year begins, only juniors will be able to take the year-long course.

Junior Katelyn Dunn said she did not think this was fair because when she is a senior she would like a year-long course.

“I am interested in the idea of the year-long class,” Dunn said.”I don’t think it should go to only juniors though. If a senior wants more information on the subject, they should be able to take the class.”

New textbooks will be purchased for the new courses.

Each courses will be based on an AP syllabus that will cover the entire textbook, as well as strategies in order to be prepared for the AP test at the end of the year.

Elisa Tucker, senior, said that if she had the opportunity to take the class she would.

“The way Mr. Nester and Mr.Whalen taught made it easier to understand and remember the information,” Tucker said. “I like the idea of a year-long class.”