Being ranked the No. 8 high school in Maryland, SPHS is notorious for having high standards when it comes to students’ GPA (grade point average) and test scores. For many students, the classes they take revolve around boosting their GPA and not around what interests them.

Although taking AP classes helps to show colleges your academic performance, numerous students take many more than necessary in hopes of getting into their dream school. “It is important to challenge yourself and show you are capable of taking on a tougher class to colleges,” sophomore Rosslyn Scott said.

The majority of students looking to go to college take up to three or four APs junior year, which is considered the most important academic year of high school. Some students even take more than five AP classes if they plan on going to a more prestigious, challenging college. Sophomore Akshay Shah plans to take seven AP classes next year, along with Honors digital electronics. Balancing this rigorous schedule with extra curriculars and sports can be challenging, but Shah is prepared for the heavy load. “It’s more classes that I don’t have to take in college if the college accepts the AP credits,” Shah said.

Students also try to be more involved in the community and schools clubs. “Colleges look at things besides grades such as sports and clubs,” junior Emily Knight said. It is important to balance schoolwork with extra curricular activities to show your involvement in the community. Along with good grades, clubs such as Student Government Association (SGA) and foreign language clubs boost your college application.