Entering high school is one of the biggest transitions of one’s life. There are many factors that contribute to a successful high school experience such as socializing with peers and teachers, as well as developing skills that you will need in the future. 

One of the most important parts is handling the course load. Mount Pisgah upper school students were asked about the hardest course they’ve had to take in their high school careers and these were their answers.

The majority of juniors and seniors who responded agree that physics, AP or on-level, is one of the most challenging courses that  Mount Pisgah offers.

“It doesn’t matter how much you study, it’s super hard,” said senior Carson Connolly.

Most people who voted this way also believe that physics courses are not a priority for the average high school students to focus on.

“[I think] you shouldn’t take it unless you’re thinking of going into a STEM major in college,” concludes senior Diane Chung. “I shouldn’t have taken it but I was advised to even though it has nothing to do with what I want to major in.”

“It is not a necessary class to take,” senior Eli Haverdink says. “Only certain professional fields need you to know related material.”

Another popular opinion is that the Honors Pre-Calculus course is another extremely difficult class that is offered at Mount Pisgah.  

“It is a lot of work and very complex,” said junior Mike Chesbrough.

The final most mentioned difficult class is the sophomore honors chemistry class taught by Latonia Anthony.

Many sophomores, juniors, and seniors expressed the difficulty of this course, and they even went as far as to say it brought pain.

“I took honors chemistry my sophomore year,” said junior Caroline Morrison. “It was incredibly difficult because it is an entirely new style of learning. The concepts are complex and they build on top of each other.”

Nonetheless, Morrison “liked learning about chemistry, and… enjoyed having Mrs. Anthony as [her] teacher.”

Most students surveyed said they were unprepared and did not know how to grasp the material, even though they praised Mrs. Anthony and believed she was a great teacher.

“Despite the fact that Mrs. Anthony is a great teacher and it is a necessary class, I have no clue what is going on,” explained sophomore Julia Franz who is currently taking the class.

Senior Chase Bishop expressed that “nothing could have prepared me for [chemistry].”

Though these courses are immensely challenging for some students, they are able to prepare the students for the rigorous studies ahead.

Students going into Mount Pisgah upper school can expect a wide variety of demanding courses and teachers who provide each student with the tools necessary for success.

As senior Adelaide Taylor lightheartedly shared, “suffering will lead you to enlightenment.”