Summer assignments are given at the end of the school year to students in higher-level classes such as UT OnRamps, Advanced Placement (AP), and the ACC Dual-Credit Classes.  Which path a student decides to take can affect the level and difficulty of the homework received. 

It is most common for AP-level courses to give out summer assignments since they are high school grades unlike the UT or ACC classes.

“Summer homework is always a challenge,” senior Isabelle Del Cueto said. “It is annoying and takes up my free time.”

The due dates of the different summer assignments vary. For example, the AP AB Calc assignment was due first things when students walked in the door while the AP Lit. assignment was due a week into the school year.

“I would say that I complete the homework either a week or so before,” junior River Downs said. “However, there are times that I don’t complete it till the day before.” 

The homework is assigned near the end of the year before. However, some students, especially transfers/new students, don’t know that they exist or are required.

“I didn’t know that my pre-AP chemistry class had a summer assignment,” sophomore Sophie Ciaverelli. “It definitely doesn’t help the mood of starting the year.”

It is expected that homework is to be finished as soon as possible so students don’t have to stress later.

“[Summer homework] pulls kids out of the experience that is supposed to be summer, bringing back anxiety and stress,” junior Carson Christenson.

Summer assignments vary. Most higher-level math classes have an assignment, as well as English. However, in the sciences, chemistry, and physics are the only classes that require work over the summer.

“Of course I would say that summer homework is beneficial to keeping the students up to date on what they need to know about the upcoming year,” AGS math teacher Kelly Wroblewski said. “The hardest thing about the homework for all students is getting the motivation to want to do it before it is due.”