By Mihir Kale, Kaustuba Baratam, and Aditi Bharathkumar Edited by Ella Rasmussen and Amy Zhang As a freshman, you’ll face a lot of firsts. Being the youngest class in high school is a big source of stress, but don’t worry! Every one of us has dealt with these same struggles, and the Peer2Peer team is here to help! AP classes are a common worry for students, so it's good for freshmen to be prepared.
Why we take AP Classes The main reasons students want to take AP classes: A) to get a bump on their GPA B) to get a feel for college-level courses. However, keep in mind that AP courses and College courses are very different! AP courses help you pass the test, whereas college courses help you get an in-depth knowledge of how professionals in that particular field will think; another key difference is that AP Exams are standardized, while college exams will not be. Just be aware that the AP experience is an introduction to college-level work, not actually a replica of it. Making the Decision Deciding between an AP and an honors course can be tough. AP classes boost your GPA and can earn you credits for college. If you’re trying to prepare for harder classes later on, ‘freshman APs’ are a great way to get that experience and have a smaller workload. That doesn't mean that these classes are easy; just that they’re more manageable for freshmen. AP PSYCHOLOGY What is covered In this course, you will learn about the basics of human behavior. The course is designed to introduce biological and mental processes. Expectations AP psych is one of the more fun and interesting AP classes, but only if you put in the work. Reading is fundamental to this class. You will frequently be assigned reading and have quizzes based on it. This class was the first AP class I took, and it was hard to adjust to because I have never taken a class that was so reading and memorization oriented. There aren't a lot of topics to cover, however they are detailed and structured. What you learn in one unit will be used in the next. You should also expect to remember a lot of vocabulary, influential people, and experiments. Advice As mentioned earlier, expect a lot of reading! Also, take time to understand the concepts and learn them with examples. Use flashcards or Quizlets! This will be key for last-minute studying. Passing the exam We don't know what AP testing will look like next year, but preparation is key! Find or create a study guide, and be detailed! Use examples and take your time making it. Don't rush through your work, because ultimately, it's not about the due dates. It's about how well you know the material and whether you can pass the test. Take practice exams before the test date- this will help you better understand what the testing experience is. AP WORLD HISTORY : MODERN What is covered AP World is an intensive course that teaches themes of history in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas from 1200 C.E. to the present day. You will learn about cultural, social, and political developments that have changed the world. Expectations You should be ready for a lot of writing. AP World won't ask you to memorize dates or facts, but you will need to observe themes and patterns across history and cultures. Thoroughly understanding these concepts will be critical in this class. Advice It’s not impossible to succeed in AP World, but you need to focus on mastering types of questions that are on the AP Exam: the document-based question (DBQ) and long essay question (LEQ). The ability to get your point across to the reader using examples will be critical! Passing the exam Since you need to thoroughly understand the themes and identify examples in AP World, try taking the released exams that College Board has on their website. To better prepare for the exam, you also need to know the concepts with examples! Making a study guide or finding videos and other resources online can change your perspective on AP exam prep. AP World is about knowing themes and identifying examples of those themes, so practice writing short paragraphs explaining trends and using historical events as evidence. AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY What is covered This course is about humans--how we have developed and altered the Earth's surface. It’s a vocab-oriented course and teaches students concepts and models in geography, migration, culture, agriculture, and development around the world. Be ready! Expectations You can expect a lot of vocab! Remember, this is an AP course, so while it may seem easier compared to some classes,keep in mind that this course is focused on memorization. Be prepared for a lot of models, theorems, concepts, and ideas that you need to provide examples of and apply to real life. You will need to memorize information about people, the development of places, and more. There's a lot of memorization in freshman APs. Advice Use Quizlets! Based on what textbook you use, your vocab and concepts might differ slightly from others. Still, you can find so many resources online that will help you ace the class and the test. I have used Quizlets and study guides from other teachers, and I also watched the APHG review sessions that the College Board posted on YouTube last semester. Passing the Exam Make a useful study guide and thoroughly understand it. You should understand everything on it, and include examples to explain your answers on the exam. You should also practice identifying critical information in maps and other diagrams. Conclusion As you can see, these ap classes are easier compared to other ones because of their emphasis on social sciences. These classes are usually much easier to understand for students, because they are more interesting and straightforward, along with being focused on memorization. As always, feel free to use Peer2Peer as a resource for better understanding topics. You can always request a tutoring session and delve deeper into the topics with a qualified tutor. The Peer2Blog team wishes you the best of luck with these courses!
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