However, the AP courses/tests most commonly taken in 9th and 10th grade (e.g. human geography, world history) are probably the least likely ones to be given subject credit in college (though a student may earn generic elective credits if s/he attends a school that is generous with credit units for AP scores).
Obviously, unusual examples like math prodigies taking calculus BC in 9th grade are a different story. Perhaps somewhat more common would be those taking the foreign language ones early due to previous knowledge of the language (heritage speaker and/or from an elementary school program that includes extensive foreign language instruction and immersion).
Grade % of tests % of students
9th 3.8 6.4
10th 13.3 19.5
11th 38.5 36.3
12th 42.7 35.7
Note that human geography made up the majority of AP tests taken by 9th grade students, and most human geography AP tests were taken by 9th grade students. The other AP tests where the bulk were taken below 11th grade were European history and world history, both with the majority taken by 10th grade students.
@toowonderful the AP program at DS’s school is brand new. AP is not that common in Canada though it is growing. The AP courses are a little tricky to incorporate into our curriculum as they are not officially recognized. DS is in the first cohort of students in the program at his school and they’ve only been rolling out the courses as the cohort advances. Up to now all the courses offered have been Pre-AP. DS is in grade 11 this year so now they are up to 3 grades of cohorts. This is the first year that actual AP’s have been offered: AP English Lang & Comp & AP US History as grade 11 credits and AP Psychology and AP Physics 1 as grade 12 credits. DS signed up to fast track grade 12 AP Physics 1 in second semester, but they didn’t get enough students signing up (most likely because the majority of the students chose to take all 3 grade 11 Pre-AP sciences). In fact the only AP they got enough enrollment to offer this year is AP English Language which he is not taking so next year will be the first year he can register for AP’s. For the subsequent cohorts, they will have the option to take AP’s earlier if they decide to fast track and there is enough room. DS most likely will be taking grade 12 Pre-AP Advanced Functions + AP Calculus BC, grade 12 AP Chemistry, and grade 12 AP Physics 1. Since AP Physics 1 wasn’t offered this year he switched to grade 11 Pre-AP Biology so he could potentially take grade 12 AP Biology next year too but I doubt he will. If he does take Bio it will most likely be the regular grade 12 U level. The other grade 12 AP he may opt to take is European History if it is offered though I’m inclined to think he should just take the grade 12 U level in that as well. 1 Pre-AP and 3 AP courses is plenty.
I think many people on CC are blinded by their own experiences at very high preforming high schools that offer quality classes without the AP branding. But it’s important to realize these schools are not representative. For most schools, the AP program has been an incentive to offer more advanced and more rigorous courses. It’s a bit frustrating when people say things like, AP Human Geography is a useless class because it doesn’t offer college credit. Maybe this is true at a place like Exeter or Harker. But at most schools, the alternative to a class like AP Human Geography is a social studies course based almost completely on memorization, with no analysis and no writing apart from fill in the blanks. So in that sense, AP Human Geography is great.
My school has no honors social studies either, even though we have honors everything else… I wonder if that’s common.
9th: regular world history/AP Euro
10th: no social studies/AP Art History(optional)
11th: reulgar USH/APUSH
12th:regular civics and current world affairs/ AP Gov and Econ
Anyone can choose which level they want each year.
a. AP human geography is a useful course to offer to strong 9th grade students compared to the weaker social studies courses commonly offered.
b. AP human geography is not really worthy of the AP label, if the AP label is intended to mean that the course covers college level material.
This can also be true:
A “regular” high school can offer a strong social studies class, that includes analysis and writing, without having to be an AP class.
Yes, in an ideal world that would be the case. But the reality is that many don’t. Even the honors history courses at my high school did not have any analysis or writing, apart from DBQ’s which were clearly copying the DBQs in the Advanced Placement curriculum.
DS21’s high school is exactly like @VickiSoCal’s. DS17’s is like that except that no social studies at all is offered in 9th because that is when students take “Freshman Seminar” (pointless) and Health.
We have a 6-period day, which is limiting as far as the number of classes that can be taken. There are evening World History and US History classes at the community college, and a number of students take those in place of those AP classes. They are more like college classes in that there is less hand-holding and the grades are based on essays for both homework and tests. They are not like the AP classes in that they cover what the professor wants to focus on, not trying to provide a thin overview of the entirety of history.
California schools tend to limit the number of classes that qualify as “honors” because the UC system typically only certifies AP and IB classes as earning the honors point for UC admissions except for some precalculus and foreign language classes. So, in the case of CA schools, there is a strong disincentive to “offer a strong social studies class, that includes analysis and writing, without having to be an AP class.”
For example, here are the offerings of a couple of the top private high schools in California. Notice that the only social science classes (category "a) that get the UC honors point are the AP classes.
To jump back in- my school currently offers an AP option for all 4 years of Soc Studies. (Euro, US, Gov, Econ) but no honors. Last year out of a class of approx 250 in each grade we had 50ish in Euro, 80ish in US, 125ish in Gov , and 70ish in Econ (some seniors want an easy year).
DD14 and DS17’s High School had an Cambridge AICE program, however, in the 9th grade, all of the AICE kids take AP human geography. It seen as a good introduction too more rigorous classes (for all of the reasons listed by @toowonderful ).
Both IB and AICE have started to roll out middle school programs (the state of Florida is experimenting with both). I’m sure the College Board thinks this is a “growth area”.
It’s been around for years, but the growth in IB programs has significantly increased over the last 10 to 15 years. Especially in public schools (IB programs first started in private schools). AICE is a more recent program.
^^ yes of course but then again, try to get your “average” (not “CC average” but C average) child into the MYP at a private or magnet school in the US.
It’s true all children could benefit from participation and in other countries the IB diploma program has various interations, including a vocational version, but in the US the IB program tends to be much more demanding than the average middle school program and is managed accordingly.
For the record, I find the way the MYP builds subjects through years 1-3 then 4-5 excellent. It could be a good example to follow as a general curriculum, especially for Math and Individuals&Societies, but it’d have to be slower paced and less demanding for most students.
