Misconceptions: The Importance Of Stereotypes

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Straight A’s on a report card after a long stressful semester. School’s out and now the whole summer is for relaxing, or is it? No, because you totally forgot about that AP summer assignment you picked up before school ended, didn’t you? Now you are going to be putting off the packet of work until last minute where you’re going to stress about not having it done and last minute be rushing to complete it. Piles of work accumulating into the deep pits of your binder and yet there doesn’t seem to be enough time to get to it. Welcome to the life of an average AP student. The life a sleep deprived, stressed, and overly worked individual who somehow still manages to do excellent in school. At least once in a lifetime, one can say that they’ve met …show more content…

According to Dictionary.com, a stereotype is “a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group” (4). Though rare, stereotypes may at times be the truth. However for the most part, stereotypes are misconceptions of the truth. Misconceptions are formed when stereotypes are overly exaggerated and misunderstood. These two concepts often get twisted and confused to the point that everyone accepts the stereotype- whether truth or misconceptions- as a true idea for a whole group of people. It is essential to clarify the difference between the truths and misconceptions when it comes to AP students so that one may obtain a better picture of who they really …show more content…

Plenty seem to believe that these advanced placed courses give these students automatic assurance that they will have a full ride scholarship to some of the best colleges the world as to offer. This statement is false because although AP classes are favored, that is not all that colleges take a look into. Pauline Ojambo, author of “Stigmas and Stereotypes of AP classes,” affirms, “It’s true, colleges like to see AP classes, but that is only one facet of a student’s record… Colleges also like athletic, charitable and responsible students” ( Ojambo 23). Normal core classes have just about the same amount of opportunities compared to those who are advanced. It would be equally as competitive as any other course when it comes to who will get a scholarship, who will get into a good college, or who will prosper the most. Jasmine Mendez

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