Workload for AP English Language, AP World History and AP Psych

[Anonymous]

My rising junior has taken one AP class each year so far (AP Gov and currently in APUSH). Given some learning issues/ADHD, we don’t think he should take more than 3 next year, so he’s trying to decide which 2 to take between AP English, AP World History and AP Psych. Course registration for next year just opened. Any feedback on workload for any of these classes?

[Anonymous]

My sophomore is taking AP Psych. it’s their first AP and it seems like less work than AP Gov which is notorious for being difficult at their school.

[Anonymous]

I would say AP English and AP Psych based on needs and workload. Unless he's a history buff. The history classes seem to require a lot of busy work like notes.

English is critical these days - schools and students have weakened in this area since I was a kid.

Psych may be interesting and has a reputation for being easy.

Have you looked to see what credits he might get at colleges that he prefers? That might be a factor.

[Anonymous]

AP Lang has less reading than AP Lit.

[Anonymous]

My kid was told AP World is not as bad as History or Government.

[Anonymous]

Start all three and switch to Honors World if workload is too much.

[Anonymous]

AP Lang is not the same as AP Lit. Lang and Psych will both be easier than World - but if you're looking for college credit, check on the acceptance of these exams at the schools DC might consider. Not all APs are accepted everywhere, even with 5s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say AP English and AP Psych based on needs and workload. Unless he's a history buff. The history classes seem to require a lot of busy work like notes.

English is critical these days - schools and students have weakened in this area since I was a kid.

Psych may be interesting and has a reputation for being easy.

Have you looked to see what credits he might get at colleges that he prefers? That might be a factor.

If he kid goes to a decent college, learning how to take notes (what you call busy work) will be an essential skill to be successful. No professor will be handing the students notes/copies of slides in college.

[Anonymous]

AP Pysch is the easiest of the three listed. Then AP Lang and AP World. Given that’s he’s already taken Gov and USHis as APs, unless he’s doing bad I would suggest taking AP World, as it would arise questions why he dropped back to Honors or on-level.

[Anonymous]

AP World fulfills a graduation requirement, whereas AP Psych is an elective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP Pysch is the easiest of the three listed. Then AP Lang and AP World. Given that’s he’s already taken Gov and USHis as APs, unless he’s doing bad I would suggest taking AP World, as it would arise questions why he dropped back to Honors or on-level.

OP here. Thank you all for the helpful responses. I did wonder if dropping back to Hon World History would raise questions, since he did/is doing well in his other AP social studies (though I think part of why he's doing well is because he's interested in the topics and I'm not sure how interested he'll be in AP World). I wonder the same thing about AP English. I think he'd do fine in AP Lang but not as well in AP Lit, but if he does AP Lang next year and Hon English 12 senior year it would be the same issue of why did he drop down from AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say AP English and AP Psych based on needs and workload. Unless he's a history buff. The history classes seem to require a lot of busy work like notes.

English is critical these days - schools and students have weakened in this area since I was a kid.

Psych may be interesting and has a reputation for being easy.

Have you looked to see what credits he might get at colleges that he prefers? That might be a factor.

If he kid goes to a decent college, learning how to take notes (what you call busy work) will be an essential skill to be successful. No professor will be handing the students notes/copies of slides in college.

Every competent professor hands out their notes, because they want their students engaged, not taking dictation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say AP English and AP Psych based on needs and workload. Unless he's a history buff. The history classes seem to require a lot of busy work like notes.

English is critical these days - schools and students have weakened in this area since I was a kid.

Psych may be interesting and has a reputation for being easy.

Have you looked to see what credits he might get at colleges that he prefers? That might be a factor.

If he kid goes to a decent college, learning how to take notes (what you call busy work) will be an essential skill to be successful. No professor will be handing the students notes/copies of slides in college.

Every competent professor hands out their notes, because they want their students engaged, not taking dictation.

Nope. I have 3 kids in college and none of their professors give out notes.

[Anonymous]

My junior with ADHD/dyslexia is taking AP Language Composition and AP World. It’s been manageable and she is doing well in both. Her accommodations are more or less in place, but it does take self advocacy on her part. My oldest, who graduated last year, took AP Psychology and said it was a lot of busy reading and less interesting than he anticipated. He also found AP Lang to be one of the more useful classes for college preparation and took Honors Eng 12 senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid was told AP World is not as bad as History or Government.

+1 I have a junior taking AP World, and took AP Gov and APUSH in 9th and 10 grades.