Hey! I’m in grade 10 and planning to apply for college in 2019. I’ve kind of got my eyes on universities like Yale, University of Michigan, U of T… for a major in Economics.
So this May 2018, I’m thinking of taking the AP exam for Macro and Micro & World History (and AP Calculus and AP Statistics in 2019) but I’ll be self studying cause my school doesn’t offer AP courses.
So my first question is, are the Macro and Micro APs hard?
What’s the best textbook you’d recommend to self study them and score 5s on both?
Is AP World History hard?
And again what’s the best textbook to self study it and score a 5?
Plus will I be able to study them all in a two month period (My 10th Finals only end in March).
The AP World History Exam isn’t really hard so long as you understand the exam’s format and have become proficient in the material needed. Since you are self-studying, I would recommend the Princeton Review as it is in depth. However, if you would prefer a lighter route, try the Crash Course book. It’s comparatively less dense and provides a good review of the material. As for textbooks, any range would work. I used Strayer Ways of the World. It’s shorter than the others, however, it does a spectacular job with comparisons and getting to the point. Also, make sure to read the practice essays formatted to the 2018 rubric off the college board, they give great insight on how to write the essays correctly. I wish you the best of luck! I self-studied AP World last year and got a 5.
Thanks for the advise! Would the Princeton Review suffice? Or do I really need to go through Strayer Ways of the World?
The Princeton Review, in my opinion, would suffice. It covers all the topics needed for the exam.
Thanks so much! Do you know anything about the AP Economics? Like how hard it is and what books I should use.
I am taking AP Macroeconomics this semester. It isn’t really all that hard if you put some effort into review. My teacher recommended (and I have subsequently bought) 5 Steps to a 5 and the Crash Course book for the subject. From what I have been reading so far on this site, the Barron’s Book and Princeton have been either lacking depth in a certain area or are lacking difficult practice problems. I’ve also been reviewing with AC/DC econ lectures on YouTube. You can get a practice packet offline from his website here: http://www.acdcecon.com/review-packet. He posts the answers and explanations in some of his review videos. In all reality, the exam really isn’t that difficult and the five rate last year was like 16.4% which is spectacular compared to the “high” AP World one of 8.5%. Take any combination of the resources I mentioned and you’ll more than likely get a five. I’m not taking AP Micro, but I expect it’s similar.