Do Colleges Really Care about APUSH?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APUSH (the test) is really hard. THere's no sense getting a mediocre grade and the a 3. Skip it.

My kids got 5s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC loves history and took and got 5s on every history/social science AP at their HS including APUSH as a freshman. Fast forward DC is now a freshman in college (T25 university) and those APs were worth very little in credits his college accepts nor did they allow him to vault past basic poli sci or history requirements. Compare that to the AP maths and hard sciences and languages that entitled him to credit or at least to jump past initial basic requirements in those subjects. So I’d guess colleges don’t care very much about APUSH and the other AP history/poli sci classes.

But they got him in. Shower rigor in HS Private universities/ivies don’t give AP credits, but they like them in their admissions office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC loves history and took and got 5s on every history/social science AP at their HS including APUSH as a freshman. Fast forward DC is now a freshman in college (T25 university) and those APs were worth very little in credits his college accepts nor did they allow him to vault past basic poli sci or history requirements. Compare that to the AP maths and hard sciences and languages that entitled him to credit or at least to jump past initial basic requirements in those subjects. So I’d guess colleges don’t care very much about APUSH and the other AP history/poli sci classes.

If you're a history lover/future major it's a pretty easy class/test though. No reason not to take it in that case.

[Anonymous]

A lot of boys love history. My oldest took every single History AP offered.

My youngest is in AP Euro history as a sophomore and really loving it even though he leans towards sciences/math. He will take APUSH next year- prob not as many history APs as brother—more STEM and language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges want to admit students who challenge themselves. If they don't take a core class at AP level because they enjoy other classes better, that sends a signal.

Do you have kids in college?

DP, yes, and I agree with PP. I don't think every kid should aspire to ivies, even super smart ones, but there is a checkbox on the college counselors recommendation that says "took most challenging possible" and you want that box checked if you are shooting high.

That said why bother a stem kid and make him miserable? So the box isn't checked and you get your engineering degree from Case Western instead of MIT. Is that so bad?

It doesn't say "possible".
The box isn't for "Larla took 12 APs but she could have taken 14".

Several colleges have texted research showing that more than 5 APs has no impact on college performance, and explicitly disregard excess APs.

And everyone understands that school performance at that extreme level has no effect on life, and that everyone forgets almost everything they learned in these courses.

Take a less popular interest to achieve something interesting. Being an AP clone isn't impressive. No one is making lists of "20 under 20 highest weighted GPAs in America".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges want to admit students who challenge themselves. If they don't take a core class at AP level because they enjoy other classes better, that sends a signal.

Do you have kids in college?

DP, yes, and I agree with PP. I don't think every kid should aspire to ivies, even super smart ones, but there is a checkbox on the college counselors recommendation that says "took most challenging possible" and you want that box checked if you are shooting high.

That said why bother a stem kid and make him miserable? So the box isn't checked and you get your engineering degree from Case Western instead of MIT. Is that so bad?

It doesn't say "possible".
The box isn't for "Larla took 12 APs but she could have taken 14".

Several colleges have texted research showing that more than 5 APs has no impact on college performance, and explicitly disregard excess APs.

And everyone understands that school performance at that extreme level has no effect on life, and that everyone forgets almost everything they learned in these courses.

Take a less popular interest to achieve something interesting. Being an AP clone isn't impressive. No one is making lists of "20 under 20 highest weighted GPAs in America".

Nice typing, but you are wrong. It doesn’t say “possible “ but pp is right that’s what it means.

We’re not talking about success in life we are talking about college admissions.

Don’t take the most rigorous schedule and the box won’t be checked. And it is important in admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC loves history and took and got 5s on every history/social science AP at their HS including APUSH as a freshman. Fast forward DC is now a freshman in college (T25 university) and those APs were worth very little in credits his college accepts nor did they allow him to vault past basic poli sci or history requirements. Compare that to the AP maths and hard sciences and languages that entitled him to credit or at least to jump past initial basic requirements in those subjects. So I’d guess colleges don’t care very much about APUSH and the other AP history/poli sci classes.

we are not talking getting credits but admissions results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APUSH (the test) is really hard. THere's no sense getting a mediocre grade and the a 3. Skip it.

My kids got 5s

Who cares? It is the grade in the class that matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APUSH (the test) is really hard. THere's no sense getting a mediocre grade and the a 3. Skip it.

My kids got 5s

Who cares? It is the grade in the class that matters.

If taken before senior year, then those 5s definitely would help at admission lottery time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges want to admit students who challenge themselves. If they don't take a core class at AP level because they enjoy other classes better, that sends a signal.

Do you have kids in college?

DP, yes, and I agree with PP. I don't think every kid should aspire to ivies, even super smart ones, but there is a checkbox on the college counselors recommendation that says "took most challenging possible" and you want that box checked if you are shooting high.

That said why bother a stem kid and make him miserable? So the box isn't checked and you get your engineering degree from Case Western instead of MIT. Is that so bad?

It doesn't say "possible".
The box isn't for "Larla took 12 APs but she could have taken 14".

Several colleges have texted research showing that more than 5 APs has no impact on college performance, and explicitly disregard excess APs.

And everyone understands that school performance at that extreme level has no effect on life, and that everyone forgets almost everything they learned in these courses.

Take a less popular interest to achieve something interesting. Being an AP clone isn't impressive. No one is making lists of "20 under 20 highest weighted GPAs in America".

Nice typing, but you are wrong. It doesn’t say “possible “ but pp is right that’s what it means.

We’re not talking about success in life we are talking about college admissions.

Don’t take the most rigorous schedule and the box won’t be checked. And it is important in admissions.

It's this. Talk to your college counselor before you make any decisions. Ask about whether or not your kid will be taking "the most rigorous curriculum" possible. They may not answer the question about the box, but they should answer that one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges want to admit students who challenge themselves. If they don't take a core class at AP level because they enjoy other classes better, that sends a signal.

Not if the rest of their schedule is tough and they have 1 History AP in the mix.

Conventional wisdom at our school is that a kids aiming for top school should take APUSH, AP-Gov, AP Calc (at least AB), at least one AP Science, AP Lang, AP Lit and AP FL-Lang if they started FL early enough to get that far. After that, they specialize--STEM kids take more science; Soc Studies kids take AP-World, etc.

Is it okay if the AP Science is APES or does it have to be a lab science? This is for a kid that wants Business or Economics in college. Taking this science sequence at private Catholic HS: honors bio; honors chem; honors physics. For senior year wants APES, but will do Honors Bio if lab science is needed for rigor. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

My DC took APUSH in 10th grade. It was definitely a commitment. 2-3 hours of homework multiple times a week. My DC thought worth it b/c of love of history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APUSH (the test) is really hard. THere's no sense getting a mediocre grade and the a 3. Skip it.

My kids got 5s

Who cares? It is the grade in the class that matters.

As. They are starting to look at scores —u can have them sent/entered. It gives an even bigger picture of ability and speaks to HS rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC loves history and took and got 5s on every history/social science AP at their HS including APUSH as a freshman. Fast forward DC is now a freshman in college (T25 university) and those APs were worth very little in credits his college accepts nor did they allow him to vault past basic poli sci or history requirements. Compare that to the AP maths and hard sciences and languages that entitled him to credit or at least to jump past initial basic requirements in those subjects. So I’d guess colleges don’t care very much about APUSH and the other AP history/poli sci classes.

we are not talking getting credits but admissions results.

I understand but his college doesn’t permit you to use the apush, ap nsl, ap world history, ap euro or ap comparative politics exams for credit or to skip foundational poli sci or history classes. Whereas they do for maths and hard sciences and languages. I think that speaks to what the colleges think of the ap history classes and exams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APUSH (the test) is really hard. THere's no sense getting a mediocre grade and the a 3. Skip it.

My kids got 5s

we're talking about the OP's kid