We are starting to plan our new schedules for the next school year. I am currently a freshman who is taking Honors World History. Should I simply self-study for the AP exam this year or should I take the AP World History class next year? If I self-study, that opens up my schedule to take AP Human Geo or another class. Keep in mind that if I take the AP World History class, I would have to take it at another nearby high school as a 0th/7th hour class since my high school does not offer it, which sounds like a bad idea to me, in all honesty. Thoughts?
Take Honors World History this year, don’t self study, and take another AP Social Studies next year like Euro, HUG or APUSH. There’s no need to take an AP exam your freshman year.
Sounds like a bad idea to me too. Additionally, I see no validity to taking APWH after Honors World History; there is not that much new material that will be covered that justifies wasting a class period to take the class. Take the AP exam if you want, don’t take it if you don’t want to; it really makes no difference, unless you’re trying to rack up college credits.
AP World HIstory has the third lowest percentage of students scoring a 5, with just 6.5% of test takers earning a 5. I think that makes the AP World History exam a poor choice to self-study.
Depends on what your goal is - if you want college credit and have some idea what your target schools are, and if they will grant credit for a 3/4/5, I would simply prep and take the test. Getting 5’s on AP tests are never easy, but getting a 3 or 4 is certainly doable. Since you have taken Honors World History, I would not take AP World History.
I talked to my counselor today, and it turns out that the only social studies class that they offer for sophomores is AP Human Geo. Should I just take that class? I am hesitant because I have heard from many of my older peers that it is a waste of a class slot, since it is an easy AP that could be successfully self-studied. Instead of taking AP Human Geo next year, I could also take AP Computer Science. I sort of want to take some kind of social studies class next year to keep my schedule balanced though, since I am already taking two science courses. Thoughts?
@skieurope Would this apply to science courses as well? Our school requires that we take the honors version of each science course before we take the AP, with the exception of physics. For example, I have to take honors chemistry before I take AP chemistry.
Most, but not all, HS’s require an intro course prior to taking AP Bio/Chem/Physics C. The AP course builds upon the intro courses, while APWH/USH/EH are standalone courses (although schools usually limit USH and EH to upperclass students.)
You need to have:
4 year-long units of English, Social Science/history, and Science (including one each of Bio, chem, physics)
Math up to calculus or precalculus
Foreign Language up to level 3, 4, or AP
Math, science subjects, and foreign language are sequential.
So, you need precalculus before calculus, French 3 before French 4, Honors Chemistry before AP Chemistry.
English and Social science suppose progressive skills, but the content is standalone.
So, if AP Human Geography is the “advanced” social science offered to sophomores, take it.
Self studying doesn’t matter to college admissions and if you don’t have one on your transcript, you’ll be considered “short” by one core subject.
If you really want external validation for your work, take the World History Subject test in May or June.
Can you complete, in order (9- 10 - 11 -12) what your sequences would be?
English =
Math =
Social Science =
Science =
Foreign Language =
Elective(s) =
That depends on many things, such as your goals, aptitudes, and future major. Rather than trying to look as good as possible to colleges, maybe you should take the course that interests you most.
@sherpa I hope to study aerospace engineering - though that may change in the next two years… I am more interested in Computer Science, and that would benefit me more in regards to my future major.
I just don’t want to reduce my chances of admission because I did not take a social studies class sophomore year.
Do ap human. I took both ap human and ap world. I struggled in ap world, but I had a FANTASTIC teacher and scored a 5 (but then again, everyone passed it that year and I think the majority got 5s). Ap human is an easier ap course, but interesting, and it would be easier to take another hard ap with that class than with ap world. Also, I don’t think having two world history credits will do anything for you. It’s a pain to have to go to another school anyways. I’d say talk to your world history teacher and counselor about taking the exam this year, but they’re changing the exam format this year. Usually, the first year of a changed ap exam means much lower scores.
Take Ap comp sci- there’s no point in taking Ap world if you have to go to another school just to take it and you also aren’t so keen on it. You can self study if you feel you are up to the challenge (I don’t know how difficult the material is so I can’t comment). Take what you think will be beneficial to your future college plan and what you are interested in. AP Geo is also pretty easy of a course from what I know and I think it’s a waste especially if you can take something you are more interested in. Comp sci doesn’t really count as a science course- is it considered one at your school?
^ the issue is that high school students are supposed to build solid foundation in all important areas of knowledge and culture: English, History/social science, Math, Science, world language (one art class is also well-considered).
A student who takes 2 or 3 science classes but no social science doesn’t have a balanced schedule.