<p>Hello!</p>
<p>So I'm taking AP US History next year. To everyone who already took the class, how was it?
Any tips? I know the class sometimes depends on the teacher itself, but I just want to know how was the curriculum in general. I want to know what to expect and be fully prepared :)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Hey, I’m taking it too! Our teacher already sent out an email, linking a few youtube videos and powerpoints on how to write a good DBQ, take notes effectively, etc. Also, we have some summer homework (a few chapters out of American Pageant, an additional book on colonial america, and two essays) where we can practice these skills. I guess they’ll teach the rest in class.</p>
<p>For anyone who has taken the class already: is it helpful to study a bit from a review book/textbook during the summer? Or are the summer assignments enough? Thanks!</p>
<p>I personally did not review over the summer (remember that the exam is almost a year away) and was fine. As for the class, just make sure you stay on top of your homework. Also I wished I had begun reviewing for the AP exam earlier (I started late April)…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Totally agree! Keep up on reading especially! There is a lot of material, so I also suggest reviewing a couple months before. Get the Princeton Review book; best study aid for AP exams!</p>
<p>I’m a big history buff, but APUSH kind of made me dread it because of the type of content and the homework. You have little room to procrastinate because you have so much reading and we were graded on our notes. I had a couple weeks each term where I had other things going on where I’d have to read like 20 pages in 1 night, it was not fun, it took like 3 to 4 hours and I consistently went to sleep at around 12:00 to 1 AM :/. If you don’t procrastinate and the second you get home everyday, read 5 to 7 pages and take your notes, its not quite that bad. Trust me though, I was all “I can do this easily and I’ll get it done and read everyday” but it won’t quite work out like that. To me it was an easy class to get an A in if you did the homework and are good at essays. I actually started the class 2 weeks late 1st term and didn’t do any summer studying at all. I’m sure I got a 4 or 5 on the exam, but I’d make sure you really study colonial/early republic real good before the exam because that FRQ killed me. I did amazing on everything else but extremely poor on that, I got a 4 on that one at best and that would be what prevents me from a 5.</p>
<p>Review books are the most helpful thing. The Rea Crash Course is amazing for last minute studying. Also Adam Norris on YouTube has tons & tons of reviews videos, he even reviews the American Pageant book chapter by chapter so I would check him out also.</p>
<p>So, I read the textbook really in-depth. I would underline as I read and then go back through and type up what I underlined, so that I would get the material twice. Also, review books are amazing and I would definitely suggest you use them throughout the year and not just in April/May. I thought the class was difficult, but not overwhelming, and I’m not sure how I did on the AP, but for the SAT 2 I got an 800 in U.S. History without too much studying, so the best way to approach the course is just to spend the entire year trying your hardest and then you can rely on that, and not last minute studying, to get a good grade on the exam.</p>