About to pick classes for next year. Is AP US History as hard as people say? I'm considering it for the rigor but also wanna manage my workload. Anyone taken it before? How was your experience?
From the perspective of a current student who has taken AP US History, the difficulty level can vary widely based on a few factors. One of those is your personal interest in history—if you really love studying historical periods and events, the class content might be more engaging and manageable for you. Some other factors to consider could be your teacher's style of teaching and the overall workload from your other classes.
Most students note that the course does include a significant amount of reading and the need to memorize a breadth of information. Some people find it tough to not just remember, but also understand, complex topics and sometimes nuanced evolutions in American History. It's also essential to think critically about cause-and-effect relationships and long-term trends across historical periods.
The AP exam itself can also be challenging. It involves multiple-choice questions, short answers, a document-based question, and a long essay question. All of these require deep content knowledge, the ability to analyze historical evidence and interpret different sources, and precision in your essay writing.
That said, many students find it rewarding and believe it improved their analyzing and critical thinking skills. But the main point here is if you're considering it for rigor, it certainly fulfills that aspect. Just make sure to balance out the rest of your schedule appropriately so your workload remains manageable.
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