Enjoyable APs? - Reviews

<p>And now for something completely different, can someone offer reviews on the AP classes they have taken? My senior year is practically going to amount to Library I-IV and I'd prefer to get some self-study in instead. I'm leaning towards AP World & Euro, but I have been offered AP Chemistry as an independent study. I want subjects that are laid back, more reading based, and, as a result, more enjoyable for a bookworm such as myself. Please don't limit responses to what I've stated- this could be helpful for anyone thinking of independent study. Cheers.</p>

<p>I think any AP is doable as a self-study, but if you want the reading experience, I say go for Euro. I really wouldn't want to do AP World, since it's just so broad. At least Euro is confined to one continent. I really enjoyed that class this past year and the reading it involved. I'd recommend reading, at the very least, Candide, The Prince, and The Communist Manifesto as supplements to whatever text book you get. I took a course in Euro, but you can do it self-study if you really are motivated for it. I used Jackson J. Spielvogel's Western Civilization book, and I found it largely satisfactory. As a supplement covering European History in full, I'd recommend Birdsall S. Viault's Modern European History, published by Schaum's. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>AP Art History! By far one of my favorite classes of my senior year.</p>

<p>ap world was fun. i liked the test. if u wanna self study go ahead at least its not too specific on dates or events
ap euro is specific and i heard its a bit hard but just do the AP that applies to ur strengths</p>

<p>APchem would probably be difficult to self-study because it's a lab course..</p>

<p>What about AP Chem as an independent study during a teacher's planning?</p>

<p>I would think any history is easy to do self study and if I had the option, I would have done so. However, I would NEVER take a science course self study. Unless you are a science prodigy it is going to be hard to learn everything and get the labs that give important info for the test. of course, I could not do chemistry even with the teacher so...</p>

<p>I'll have to agree- I took AP Bio this year and it is a snorefest. Math, doubly so. However, can micro and macro economics be find, especially for one who enjoys number crunching as long as it it preceded by a dollar sign?</p>

<p>AP World is a nice self-study. I really enjoyed the class and AP test. You can just read through texts, all you need is basic knowledge of history.</p>

<p>yeah ap bio sux i dont think u wanna self study it b/c its waay more detailed than the other subjects. i regret taking it and im screwed for the test EEP</p>

<p>What exactly does Micro and Macro Economics deal with? Would I feel like I'm reading Adam Smith's "Inquiry Into the Wealth of Nations" or just browsing graphs?</p>

<p>lol I didn't take Micro - I took Macro - but it was not like reading 'Wealth of Nations.' Well, I don't think it would be; I never read Smith's book. You don't even need to know anything about the history of economic thought, though most teachers introduce it. You'll need to know the basics of economic theories - Smith, Keynes, monetarists, rational expectations... but not very indepth information about them. Macro was three graphs and that pretty much covers the entire class. Seriously.</p>

<p>Edit: ..And fiscal and monetary policy. Five things. Comparative advantage. Six things. Really, there wasn't much to know about the class. Basic, basic econoimcs.</p>

<p>APUSH was enjoyable last year, tho most ppl will say otherwise...</p>

<p>Class-I wholly enjoyed AP English Lit
Tests-I really enjoyed taking Ap English Languge and APUSH</p>

<p>AP Lit is my favorite class and test. I could do literature multiple choice questions all day.</p>

<p>I also like Economics, and those are easy to self-study. </p>

<p>If you already study music or play an instrument, go for music theory.</p>

<p>If you opt for a history, you have to be very diligent in your reading and not fall behind, at least that's how it was with u.s. history. But as long as you do that, the test should be no problem (I got a 5 on USH with minimal studying, but I don't know how difficult euro and world history are).</p>

<p>As for AP chem, people are exaggerating the importance of labs. They barely matter, I think they're only about 5% of the ap exam. However, the content is very difficult to self-study, but it's doable if you're motivated enough.</p>

<p>Never took it, but I've wanted to take statistics.</p>

<p>AP CALCULUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>

<p>I LOVE MY CLASS (less than 10 students) </p>

<p>and the teacher is HILARIOUS. </p>

<p>It's my FAVORITE CLASS. My favorite MATERIAL is form AP Literature and AP Biology... it's too bad they turned out to be my LEAST FAVORITE AP CLASSES.</p>

<p>Psych is an easy read.
Pretty interesting if you like to know how people think.</p>

<p>i personally enjoyed usap, even if i didnt do so hot on the ap/sat II</p>

<p>So far I've taken all three history APs (Euro/World self-study and APUSH as a class), the thee math APs, and Chem+Psych soon (next week).</p>

<p>I'd say AP World is one of the most enjoyable courses to self-study. I actually loved reading the prep book and certain passages out of an APWH text I had. AP World content-wise is very interesting.</p>

<p>AP Euro was not bad - though there's a bit too much on the intrigues of various European nations to my liking. It was good that the test did not focus much on the developments of individual nations.</p>

<p>I find AP Calculus rather enjoyable (did AB through class, BC self). Calculus will probably give you a major headache the first semester through, but Calculus gets so much more enjoyable and even fun after a year of study. A minor note here -- it's probably not a good idea to self-study because there are many relatively new concepts and you'll find studying it with a class to be much easier in assimilating knowledge.</p>

<p>APUSH was too detailed oriented to my liking.</p>

<p>Anyways, I'd strongly suggest APWH if you haven't taken it already.</p>

<p>My son is taking AP US Gov & AP Env Sci as self-studies this year (has gotten 5s in practices). Last year, he took Eng Lang as a self-study (got a 5). He basically is taking CSciAB as a self-study, since he's missed most of the class this semester anyway & feels he probably got a 5 (like he got for CSciA last year.
If he had more time, he would have taken some AP history course self-study. Took AP US history course last year & enjoyed it; didn't have time to study for any other history courses this year with his 5 APs (or 7 depending on how you count PhysicsC E&M & Econ macro/micro) + & 2 self-studied APs.
I have heard & believe AP Psych is an easy self-study. In the 70s, we took CLEP test to test out of psych--most of us who took HS psych tested out of the class.
I too would NOT recommend self-studying for a science AP--the lab is the most fun & engaging part of the course.</p>