<p>I am currently a sophomore, going to be a junior next year and had a sudden thought that maybe i shouldn't take APUSH next year. Currently the classes i will be taking my junior year are, AP Spanish, AP Lang, ASB, AP Physics 1, AP Calc AB, and APUSH. I was aiming to get A's in all my classes for the highest weighted GPA possible, but now I wonder as I am in ASB, with 4 other AP classes if APUSH is really needed. I want to major in some kind of engineering when I am older so i figure taking APUSH is not as needed as much as some of my others. I feel like taking normal US History I will have more time to focus on my other AP classes and ASB but I do not know if this will affect college admissions because I know that they want to see course rigor, so that is where I'm at right now. </p>
<p>I want to major in STEM in college (possibly engineering or CS), too, and I absolutely cannot tolerate history (WHAP this year was a pain ugh), but I’m still going forth with APUSH. There’s such a huge gap between the AP history classes and the regular history classes at my school, and although I’m not very interested in history, I know I’m going to learn so much more in the AP class. I’d rather struggle a bit and actually learn stuff than breeze through a year of US and come out knowing nothing. It’s very easy getting 100s in classes in my school, but I have a ~96 in world history right now that I’m really proud of. I wouldn’t go through it again, but in all honesty, I DID learn a lot and I’m thankful that I didn’t drop out of WHAP at the beginning of freshman year (it’s a two-year course here). I would have missed out on so much and although I’m still not very good at world history, I’m aware of so much more.</p>
<p>Also, I’m taking pretty much the same classes as you next year (+ AP Chem)! (: What’s ASB?</p>
<p>@sunsh0wers ASB is Associated Student Body. Basically they like plan activities for the school such as dances and spirit week. I think of them as students who “run” the school. Does your school not have an ASB?</p>
<p>To answer the thread question, I think you should take APUSH. If you can juggle with the other APs, I see why not. I’m in currently in that class and it’s an engaging class even though I don’t particularly like US history. If you can keep up with the work and have a great teacher, then you should take it.</p>
<p>APUS is very book heavy and teachers in tend to have quizzes that are harder than the actual exams(at least mine does) but in my school honors US has a lot of HW and essays(easy but time consuming). So if you’re good test taker/quick reader I’d say take AP, if not take regular or just hold off history all together till your senior year since you’ll probably have some more free time.</p>
<p>@lotusspell - We have StuCo and Student Gov’t, which is essentially ASB, just under a different name. Thanks for clearing things up! (:</p>
<p>I read maybe 30 pages out of the 26 chapters that we covered in Brinkley’s, and I got an A. I enjoyed the class and think I got a 5 on the exam. In my school, AP classes are more test/quiz heavy, while regular classes have a lot of busy work. For that reason, just take the AP class and look for chapter review notes to the book that you have. Good luck.</p>
<p>@ModernAge that is crazy. I assume you’re one of those types who gets A’s no matter how little they read/study? I have to put so much work into classes! Lucky you!</p>
<p>I’m taking APUSH next year, and we have a lot of summer work. so psyched for this. </p>
<p>yep!! you should. i HATE HATE HATE history, if that helps. it was actually semi enjoyable at certain points of the year. i got an A, so if you’re worried about the grade, don’t. but you HAVE HAVE HAVE to read the book or get the information off somewhere, because you really have to know the stuff on a deeper level of context for tests. </p>
<p>and i also want to do engineering and took all ap classes… i had an 89% at one point and started freaking out because i never focused on apush cause it wasn’t a necessary class for me. but if you want to stand out and have a good gpa, take it.</p>