Self Study for APUSH

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

So I’m currently taking Honors US History and have a 100 in the class with approximately 4 weeks left.
I was really interested in taking APUSH next year (because I was just lazy this year), but the class didn’t end up making.

I was wondering if it was possible to self-study for APUSH if I use American Pageant, AMSCO, etc. throughout the course of this whole year. I currently am sitting in with the APUSH class,and I see how frustrating the short answers and DBQs can be, and I know they count for a good chunk of the test.

I’m also going to be taking AP Lit/Comp year-round and AP US Gov in the spring. I don’t want studying for APUSH to stop me from doing well in my other AP courses, but I have a strong interest in it.
So is it possible that if I start reviewing from the start over the summer and work with the APUSH teacher with the writing that I could score at least a 4 when the exam rolls around next May?

(I’m also doing the SAT II for US History in June, so I think my score on that could help me decide.)

2

If you think you can handle it, I would say do it. APUSH is not hard at my high school, but views of how hard a class are subjective to the person. If you think you can get an A in it do it.

3

Not only is it possible, it may be preferrable. I get students all the time who think their highschool AP experience translates 1:1 to a university classroom experience. They are very different beasties.
I think someone who came to the field after independent study would be less likely to suffer from such preconceptions.

4

Lots of kids successfully study independently for AP’s