Official 2011 AP US History Thread!

^ Sure it’s possible. Also, we recommend using AMSCO because Barrons sometimes gives us extra info that’s not necessary. APUSH starts all the way from the founding of America to Bush era while also covering many of the details. A regular class may not be that detailed. Or it might start at a certain time period. So it’s important to keep up with school while also doing APUSH. More importantly, don’t skip reading the topics that your class went over. Again, your class might not go over as much detail as APUSH. I suggest reading a chapter or two per 3 days to keep the load off. Then in April, I would reread or skim the whole book, and do practice tests. Good luck!</p>

Good luck to everyone taking it!</p>

Otty, I would say you have a chance as long as you study hard. Also, try asking your history teacher if you can stay after school to go over the topics in more depth. I’m not sure how many teachers do this, but I know that the Spanish, history, biology, and chem II teachers all do.</p>

For the class, we used The Enduring Vision as a textbook. The whole class was literally: outline half a chapter for homework, review the information in a powerpoint the next class. I read AMSCO the month before the AP test. We used Barron’s in a study group during the 2 weeks prior to the AP test. I ended up getting a 4.</p>

AMSCO is really great in reviewing the information for you in a concise and organized way, but you really need to learn the information from another source (aka an actual textbook) first.</p>

Coming from a person who got a 5, all you really need is the AMSCO book for the test. Our class had a large textbook that i dont even know the name of because we didnt use it once. I had a really good teacher too last year 86% of the students got a 4 or a 5, well above the national avg and we really just watched powerpoints, played games all year, and read the AMSCO book before each test. (still think a good game of jeopardy is the best form of learning)</p>

As for the DBQ, it was on how Puritans affected the social, economical, and political development of the New England colonies. My U.S. history course was split over two years so I had learned about the Puritans about 20 months before I took the DBQ. (Living in massachusetts was probably a big help too) So you guys should have an easier and more current DBQ this year</p>

Jeopardy is the best way to learn!!!</p>

I’m taking it this fall. I hear APEuro is harder so hopefully I won’t go under.</p>

APUS is an amazing class. I agree with whomever said to take the SAT II for USH the week or two before. Very similar info, so the studying overlaps. Got a 5 on AP and 800 on SAT II by just reading my text book. Forget the name, but written by a guy named garraty. American nation or something? very good, anyway. If you are interested in history and why things are the way they are today, this will be a fun class. THere is a good amount of reading, work, and fact memorization, but I loved it.</p>

I took APUSH this past year and it was mostly a breeze, though I still had to do tons of work, which I really don’t mind.</p>

Used the American Pageant textbook. Excellent textbook, but sometimes the extra descriptions can be very annoying. But hey, if the book goes far and wide besides explaining the obvious, its a small wonder why that textbook is one of the widely used APUSH textbooks in the country.</p>

Do tons of outlines. Read the book, get the general idea. Start early. I don’t believe in cramming; I believe in gathering knowledge over time and having it solid by the time the exam date rolls around. This way, you won’t have to worry about anything, and you can just go take the exam without feeling scared of anything. Got a 5 on APUSH, 770 on the SAT II (I really want that 800, but no need to waste time to get the last 30 points). </p>

The best thing was I never had to use a study guide (Princeton Review, Barrons, etc). :)</p>

When you guys refer to AMSCO, do you mean this? [Amazon.com:</a> United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement…](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/United-States-History-Preparing-Examination/dp/1567656609]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/United-States-History-Preparing-Examination/dp/1567656609)</p>

If so my class will be using it.</p>

^Yes, that’s AMSCO. Amazon will even send you the new, 2010 Revision.</p>

Does no one use prep books?</p>

Longtime lurker, first-time poster.</p>

I will also be taking AP US in 2011! Sounds like AMSCO and Crash Course is the way to go. From what I can tell, are you all suggesting that I start reading slowly them now and then re-reading throughout the year? Or should I start reading them a few months before the exam? (In both scenarios I would refer to the books throughout the year) What did you all do?</p>

I read and re-read it throughout the year. The biggest mistake you can make is learning new stuff and then forgetting all the old stuff. By the time of the AP exam, many people have already forgotten a lot about the 1700s and early 1800s. However, if you re-read AMSCO roughly once a month, then you’ll be able to refresh and review all the older material.</p>

Hey guys any ever take APUS on FLVS if so how was it?</p>

I took it last year. I loved that class!</p>

I took APUSH. I didn’t really love that class, but it was decent. I came out of there learning a lot.</p>

If I was to go back in time, I would still definitely make the same choice.</p>

how is REA?</p>

I’m so envious of those of you who don’t have any summer work. I’m currently up late finishing my dbq essay(the ap us 2010 dbq on the puritans). It feels very much like hell. I also have to read five twenty-page texts and answer questions on them. I have a feeling this will be a fun, fun year.</p>

^eww. I had that DBQ on my AP test. Defiantly not my favorite one. I ended up liking the class and learning from the class way more then the actual test. Maybe you will too. Trust me, the class gets better.</p>

Apush= best class ever!!!</p>