Samo students take college courses to immediately receive credits

Many students at Samo take courses over the summer at Santa Monica College (SMC). These courses automatically allot students college and high school credits unlike Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which only give students high school credits if they do not take the AP exam.However, contrary to popular belief, college classes are not equivalent to AP classes in terms of credits and experiences, according to M-House adviser Judith Hinojosa-Riusech.“A college class is a class with actual college credits [whereas] an AP class is a high school class, but is taught at the college level,” Hinojosa-Riusech said. “The only way to get the college credit for the [high school] class is if you pass the AP exam.”Cynthia Cadena ('15), who has taken U.S. history at SMC and an AP class at Samo, said that the classes are two completely different experiences."An SMC class forces you to become independent," Cadena said. "Although an AP class is just as challenging as a college course, it does not have the same liberties as a SMC class. I actually enjoyed waking up early on Friday mornings, making myself coffee and typing our weekly essays."According to Danielle Sim ('15), who also took U.S. history over the summer at SMC, taking college courses in high school will help students adjust to college life."I had a great professor," Sim said. "[The class] was not easy, but my professor was the best teacher I have ever had. He prepared us well and gave us a taste of what it would be like when we went to college. He made the course very interesting and entertaining throughout the six weeks."Some of the college experiences Sim received include having the professor lecture the class for up to five hours at a time and not having the professor guide the class though a step-by-step process for essays and projects.“[The professor] set us off on our own and just expected us to get it right,” Sim said. “He wasn't explicitly clear on everything like teachers in high school. It forced us to be creative and independent.”According to SMC's website, the classes at SMC that are open to high school students range from Spanish I to Western Civilization I to photography and can be used to fulfill high school credit requirements as long as students' counselors approve the course.Samo students take classes at SMC for a variety of reasons such as getting ahead in classes to taking a course to make space for an elective. Some students even take classes to get more comfortable with college and have a connection with college professors, according to Juan Silva, a liaison between SMC and Samo.“Interestingly, the most memorable thing [about the class] was spending five hours a day with the same people and getting to know them really well," Sim said. "If needed, I would definitely take another class [at SMC]."cyen@thesamohi.com