AP Economics
Advanced Placement (AP) Economics鈥攕plit into a fall semester focused on the Microeconomics AP test and a spring semester focused on the Macroeconomics AP test鈥攊s a course at Gunn offered to seniors interested in learning about finance, business and the world of economics at a collegiate level.
To succeed in this class, AP Economics teacher Philip Lyons encourages students to聽be fully attentive in class. 鈥淲e learn during class time, not outside of it,鈥 Lyons said. 鈥淚聽recommend you focus 100% during class. No sleeping, no phones, no texting, no daydreaming. Focus.鈥
Alumni Atul Gavande also believes that regular attendance is the key to success, despite feelings of senioritis. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l learn everything you need to know in class,鈥 he said.鈥淎s long as you pay attention for [the three periods each week], you鈥檒l be fine.鈥
Despite being at a college level, the course is not inherently difficult, according to聽Lyons. Nevertheless, students are strongly discouraged from expecting an A for simply聽showing up to class and completing in-class assignments. 鈥淭he workload isn鈥檛 challenging, and neither is the content,鈥 Lyons said. 鈥淚 think what鈥檚 challenging is changing聽student behavior鈥攜ou can鈥檛 be passive. You can鈥檛 just sit there. [Students need to get]聽away from the idea of grading based on effort to [the idea of] grading based on mastery.鈥
According to Lyons, the tests in class are designed to be straightforward provided聽that students pay attention in class and responsibly make use of their resources. Prior聽to every unit exam, students take three practice tests designed to prepare them for聽the actual assessment. If unsure about the material, students can read the textbook or聽watch short tutorial videos posted on Schoology about each concept.
Lyons encourages students to take AP Economics because it exposes them to an entirely new field of study. 鈥淚 tell my students often that studying economics is like putting聽on a pair of glasses,鈥 Lyons said. 鈥淎fter you take the course, you will see everything from聽a different point of view. [You鈥檒l] analyze things like a scientist.鈥
Gavande found that the real-life implications of economics remained with him even聽after graduation. 鈥淚 liked how Mr. Lyons applied [economics] into real life situations,鈥澛爃e said.