To all who are willing to help, what are your opinions on AP Government versus AP US History. They are both one year in length, and I have to choose between the two for next year. Thank you all in advance!
Will APUSH count as your history/social studies class for the year? Or is it counted as an elective in your school? It’s most advantageous to take the AP classes that are your core courses for the year. If APUSH is your history course, and you have room for an elective, you can take both.
If both APUSH and AP USGOPO are electives, take the one that appeals to you more. Or take the one that has the better, more engaging teacher.
Opinions in terms of what?
AP Gov in infinitely easier that APUSH and a background in USH will help with AP Gov (although a lot of AP Gov is basic knowledge that one learns simply by being a concerned citizen.
USH is a graduation requirement for basically everyone attending HS in the US. Some states/districts have a gov requirement as well. Many students take both, with APUSH commonly taken junior year and AP Gov commonly taken as a senior (but some take it earlier).
AP Gov and AP USH are taken as my required social studies class for the year. I already took Honors USH as a freshman, so I have already filled the USH aspect to graduate.
If you’ve already taken USH, then go with AP Gov.
Then no point in taking APUSH.
You already took U.S. history? The no need to take it again. In many schools APUSH is offered as a level up from honors in the year that U.S. history is the required social studies course in the curriculum. You’ve already taken the course at the honors level.
What social science would you take senior year? (AP gov is often ffered as a senior class)
I would take AP Econ as a senior then. Thank you all for your input.
But what other pillar courses in social sciences will you have? Ap Euro, AP World? Are econ and govt related to your possible major or just a way to take AP? Each is sometimes a one semester course. Yours are full year?
All depends on the college targets.
All of our social sciences are full year, besides American Government, which is half of a year. I am enrolled currently in AP World and AP Human Geography for this year, and AP Euro is not an option at my school for any grade level. AP Economics is on the my “path” of high school classes for senior year, or what I am intending to take during 12th grade, unless I change it otherwise. I hope that makes sense.
my kid had AP US Govt as a one semester class, with Honors Econ (no AP offered) in the second semester. It was a requirement for every senior (the Govt class, not the level). The Honors Econ was broken up into half Macro half Micro. He wound up self-studying for the AP tests for Micro and Macro anyways.
It seems strange that it would be an elective - everyone at my kid’s HS takes some form of WH as a sophomore, some form of USH as a junior and some form of US Govt as a senior. And it’s a big HS, 2500 students. Pretty rigid.
Both classes are great but APUSH is 10x more work and studying. Gov is more concepts rather than details
Every district is different. In my kid’s school, which is even bigger, a semester of state history (on-level only) and a semester of US Government (on-level or honors) is the required 9th grade year of social science. Then USH (on level or AP) in 10th, and WH (on level or AP) in 11th. Then AP US Gov is a full-year elective.
IF you’re planning a history major, then APUSH might be a consideration. Other than that, you already took USH.
So you’ll have APWorld, APHG, the prior USH. then gov and econ. Well, ok, lots of kids do that.
But what colleges are you targeting? And what course second semester, after govt is done?
What major? And if you’re aiming for a top college, whatever the major is, you have the relevant ECs? (Iknow you didn;t ask, but some decisions need to be strategic.)
edited
Of course. I have taken other elective classes that correspond to my intended college major, including planned ones for my junior and senior years. I hope to do something in the medical field, so many of my electives reflect that decision. I do not plan to pursue a history major. However, it has been recommended to all students trying to attend a 4+ year university to take four years of social studies anyway. Gov and Econ are both full year classes at my school.
I suspect you’re ok. Not sure what you mean by “electives” that relate to medical. Maybe you meant ECs, since I asked. No need to respond. Pick the right targets for ytou interests and stats, affordable. Have good matches and safeties. I think your choice of econ now makes enough sense. If you’re a stem kid, the econ and govt will show nice rounding.
You’re correct, selective 4-year colleges expect 4 years of social science.
I’m guessing it’s AP US AND Comp Gov (some schools only offer US gov which is a one-semester course). Same thing for Econ, some schools only offer one whereas others offer the full year course (Macro and Micro).
Yes, thank you. Sorry for the confusion. Thank you all!