The AP Reading for the Exam in English Literature, 2024, Salt Lake City (SLC)
PRESS RELEASE
JUNE 10, 2024
Jackson College Master Adjunct Attends AP Reading in Salt Lake City
Jackson College Master Adjunct, Elizabeth Ferszt, Ph.D., recently attended the AP Reading for the Exam in English Literature and Composition in Salt Lake City (SLC). The 9-day event held yearly by the College Board/ETS, gathers nearly 2000 English teachers from high school, college, and/or university level, to norm, read, and score approximately 1.1 million student essays in the Free Response section of the Advanced Placement Exam in Literature, which includes 55 MCQ’s (Multiple Choice Questions) and 3 essays.
Dr. Ferszt has attended the Reading for the last 14 years, as both a Reader/Rater, and Table Leader. At JC, she teaches mostly in the CEP program, a mixture of ENG 232 Business Writing; ENG 249 Intro to African American Literature; ENG 250 World Literature; and HUM 131 Cultural Connections. Dr. Ferszt also served as Lead Faculty for FYS 110 for 4 years, 2019-2023.
“The AP Reading is an excellent opportunity for professional development in the English field, in a sustained and rigorous work environment (reading sessions run 8am-5pm daily for 7 days straight), with rich social and hospitality amenities,” said Dr. Ferszt. There are AP Exams in over 30 subject areas, such as English, History, Statistics, Chemistry, Biology, U.S. Government, Geography, and more.
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Personal stats: I scored 1094 books (approximately 1,100), meaning that I scored .001 percent of the 1.1 million essays total (for all 3 ‘free response’ essays: Q1, Q2, Q3).
POEM: In reading so many essays, there are patterns and texts that begin to repeat themselves in the student responses. Here is my verse-response, based on the trend to students using a ‘What if’ or ‘If only’ type of hypothetical analysis:
LITERARY WISHES
I wish that Jane would have gone to India
With Mr. St. John
I wish that Victor would have made the Companion
For his lonely Creature
I wish that Daisy would have chosen Gatsby over Tom
Before they went into the City
I with that Cathy would have run off with Heathcliff
And not agreed to Linton
I wish that Amir would not have stayed to watch
The assault of Hassan
If Jane had married St. John, they would be flourishing in Mumbai
If Victor had made the She-creature, the odd couple would be steaming in South America
If Daisy had chosen Gatsby, they would be happily tacky in West Egg
If Cathy had accepted Heathcliff, they would be hiking at the Heights
If Amir had not watched Assef’s violence, he and Hassan would be forever friends
If ‘Gary’ had returned from Viet Nam and not the trenches of Verdun
Then ‘Donna’ would be a hippie chick and Jesus-freak him back to life
If Ophelia had taken anti-depressants and seen a therapist,
Her flowing form would not have floated river-bound in Denmark
If Miriam and Laila had both escaped the abusive Rasheed,
A blended asymmetrical family would be saved
If Janie had not shot a drooling and raging Teacake,
Their luscious swamp love would endure
If Kya had not pushed Chase over the edge of the fire tower,
—–
If Celie had not met Shug Avery and learned an alternate way to joy,
—–
If Hamlet had not hesitated to dispatch a faux-praying Claudius,
—–
If Beloved had stayed dead and not become a parasite to Sethe,
—–
If, If, If ……
Elizabeth_Ferszt 