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At Bellevue High School, plenty of classes get labelled as “the hardest” and for good reason. BHS offers a wide range of accelerated options through BSD’s Advanced Placement (AP) program, offered by the College Board. At Bellevue, there are over 25 AP classes to choose from, all requiring significant effort to pass. However, a few classes have proven to push students harder than others.
At the top of the list for the most difficult STEM classes are Linear Algebra and AP Physics C: Mechanics. Linear Algebra is the most advanced math class in the school, with students needing to be one to two years ahead in math to even be part of the class. The course is taught in a lecture style, and students must constantly stay up to date with the content since all topics build off one another.
“Linear Algebra is so difficult because it’s very abstract and conceptual, which is not like any math I have done prior,” said senior Sophie Kim.
The class includes weekly quizzes and frequent tests. Many students also say the work can be rewarding, but it demands more effort than most other courses.
AP Physics C: Mechanics is a strong rival for the hardest class in the school. Unlike Physics 1, Physics C dives straight into calculus-based concepts, making even simple physics problems far more complex. The most relentless aspect of this class, however, is the pacing. Students must learn numerous concepts for every unit and need to fully understand each one to feel confident heading into tests.
“The class is hard because it is very conceptual and less to do with calculations,” said senior Andy Zhu.
Physics C also includes weekly quizzes, forcing students to stay consistently on top of their work.
On the non-STEM side, AP Literature is consistently ranked as the most difficult. AP Lit isn’t like other classes that reward memorization. Success requires going further than students usually do, requiring them to interpret ambiguous texts and defend their interpretation. Unlike most English classes, students must unpack symbols and metaphors that remain unclear even after multiple readings. They must also perform under time pressure so students must articulate their interpretations quickly. The course emphasizes reading accuracy, particularly when analyzing poems, many of which are pre-20th century and demand greater critical thinking to interpret. For many, AP Lit feels like learning to think and write at a higher level than ever before in school.
All things considered, Bellevue's most challenging classes have one thing in common. They require in-depth comprehension rather than merely memorization. These classes put your brain to the test, whether you're trying to keep up with the fast-paced Physics C, understand abstract concepts in Linear Algebra, or analyze literature in AP Lit.
