Hey guys!
I am currently a rising junior at Stuyvesant HS.
I wanted to ask if I should take APUSH next year and how it will impact my chances at a T20 university. For reference, here is my current schedule:
Thank you!
I would appreciate a quick response!
If you’re already taking 7 other classes with 3 APS, then you don’t need to take APUSH. If you don’t think you can handle the load, I’d suggest not taking it. Unless you want to major in history, not taking APUSH won’t really impact you.
With all those APs you already have, adding that to the mix won’t really impress colleges all that much. 4 or 5 is just enough.
Additionally, you should think about what you want to major in and what your passions are. If you can articulate your AP classes to demonstrate your passion for… sciences, math, social studies, art, whatever you want, you convey a bigger message to colleges. Having this well-rounded approach doesn’t show any passion for any given topic. What it mostly shows is that you’re kind of a jack-of-all-trades, but master (or lover) of none. Colleges want people they know can contribute to a specific field really well. You should also keep this in mind when planning your extracurricular activities for the year.
If APUSH is for you, though, I will advise heavily to prep for it right now. The American Pageant is one of the best textbooks to have that thoroughly covers the material, but it has…over 50 chapters, last time I checked. I got it from my history professor when I was thinking about taking APUSH… I’m not into it now. Haha!
Why are you taking both PreCalc and Calc BC, that makes zero sense.
“Math is my thing” → I already know the majority of calc bc and all of precalc. I am required to take precalc.
And yes, I dont want to go into history, I am a STEM person.
Sounds like APUSH isn’t for you! That’s okay, it’s not a lot of people’s thing anyway. I like history, but I would rather spend my time studying for the AP Chemistry and Biology exams since I’m more science inclined.
Taking APUSH might connote rigor, but you’re already showing that with those 3 APs you have already. I say stick with regular or honors US History.
Alright! Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!
Math can be your thing but if you never had experience with two math classes at the same time it will be a lot of time. And on top of that, you are taking a CS course. Take regular history
I mean, when I say math is my thing, I really mean it 
Any other comments?
APUSH at my D’s school was a ton of work. I think you are overloading and should take regular.
Thanks! And I kind of hate history.
Trevor Packer (AP Trevor) posted a very interesting thread on Twitter. It talked about how students who take 6 APs are just as successful as students who more than 6. Six is apparently the magic number, so don’t feel pressured to take APUSH just because it’s an AP.
Doesn’t matter what others on a forum think, some who have zero idea.
You need 3-4 years of history for a top 20 college. C’mon, don’t plan without getting the facts. None of them want unilateral and that’s what you seem to prefer.
I’d drop CS for APUSH. The rigor needs to be rounded, including cores, to impress.
Look up what your targets ask for. Then remember that the majority of your competition will give them that and more.
I can take CS without dropping APUSH. I’m taking USH. I don’t want to force myself something I dont like
Does that mean after senior year or junior year?
By the end of junior year, I would have taken the following:
AP CS
AP World
AP Chemistry
AP Calculus BC
Since you will have already had an AP history, APUSH is not needed.That said, you go to a very competitive HS where many students will be applying to very competitive colleges. If you are also targeting highly selective colleges, given that Stuy caps at 4 APs per year with an appropriate GPA, taking “only” 3 next year might make you less competitive.
Not sure about that, but AP Chem and AP Calc are pretty hard classes at stuy. Also, I have a feeling that my senior year classes would make up for it.
e.g. i will be taking the following:
Multivariable Calc
Complex Analysis
Software Dev
AP Physics C
AP Economics + AP Gov
Regular English
And some other stuff
Alright, I have decided to take APUSH after all.