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Is it that bad to not take AP US History in high school?

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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
Alright, so I'm going to be a junior and we have to do our course selection this coming week. I already have been cleared for all the APs I wish to take and my schedule is going to be pretty hard as it is. I've been in AP history courses since freshman year and even though I've sustained very high grades, I hated both with a passion. I love math and computers and that is reflected by the classes I'm taking. My schedule next year is going to end up being:

Religion( I have to I attend a Jesuit school)
Latin 3
AP Calculus BC
AP Psycology
AP English Lit
AP Computer Science A
and either AP US History or regular US history

What I'm really wondering is will it really matter to colleges if I drop down to regular history just for this year in order to lessen my workload a little bit in order to focus on the subjects I'm actually interested in persuing to a high academic level. I plan on applying to universitys liek Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and U of Washington if that helps at all. Thanks for any advice
May 5 2011 4:15PM
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EthanJPAskier
Posts: 1668 - Karma: 248
The class itself isn't THAT terrible, i'm personally more of a fan of european/world history so kinda more pumped for AP Euro next year. But yea AP US isn't that bad, the test is just supposed to be pretty tough...but i guess i'll find out for myelf tomorrow at 7:30am.
May 5 2011 4:18PM
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spidermanatadesk
Posts: 491 - Karma: 10
>American
>History
>Click for larger image
May 5 2011 4:20PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
AP is overrated
May 5 2011 4:21PM
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No_Dub
Posts: 3357 - Karma: 294
im in it now. its not bad
May 5 2011 4:21PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
Yeah, I just don't want to have to dedicated precious study time to a class that's not even going to benefit me
May 5 2011 4:23PM
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Dan.
Posts: 7201 - Karma: 1,126
ap us history was pretty easy, and unless you absolutely love history, I'd recommend getting it out of the way asap as college history classes blow
May 5 2011 4:23PM
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Chompo.
Posts: 4952 - Karma: 88
im sort of wondering how bad it is myself because im taking it next year as a sophmore
May 5 2011 4:25PM
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O.G.Surachai
Posts: 334 - Karma: 84
It's overrated until you get to college and it gets you out of prerequisites and saves you thousands of dollars in credits you no longer need to take. Colleges probably wont really take notice of that, it will only really affect whether or not you have to take a history class after high school. Assuming the school accepts AP exams as credit and all that of course. Having a good GPA and being in difficult classes is important but don't forget colleges are looking for well rounded people so make sure not to solely focus on your academics.
May 5 2011 4:26PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
I hate history, but because I'm going to have a computer science major my humanities credit should be taken care of by psyc. Plus I'm taking the Euro exam tomorrow and I'm going to take AP Macro and Micro senior year.
May 5 2011 4:26PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9210 - Karma: 5,357
yeah, if you credit out of courses that aren't really specific to your major then it's fine. but I'm a type of bio major so i can't credit out bio or chem or stuff cause then med schools won't take you.
May 5 2011 4:28PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
I will have taken 12 AP courses by the time I graduate high school so I'm not really worried about getting credits. I just don't want too hard of a workload next year.
May 5 2011 4:30PM
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NickSki.
Posts: 2009 - Karma: 61
What is a AP course? Some sort of honor class?
May 5 2011 4:31PM
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smooticus
Posts: 1798 - Karma: 27
If you already have history credits you probably wont need anymore in college if your going into like computer science
May 5 2011 4:32PM
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CassiusClay
Posts: 1757 - Karma: 2
You're going to have to take a US history class in college if you don't take it now, its up to you though (seeing as how you've got a brutal schedule as is). I found the AP test to not be very easy for US history, and my undergrad course that I had to take since I didn't get a 4 on the AP, was pretty fucking easy, even at a tough college similar to the ones you're applying to. The AP credit is really nice once you get to college, but in all honesty, you've got a fair amount of credits as is and if you aren't diggin history it might be worth it to take regular US history and take it in college.
May 5 2011 4:33PM
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,018
do it in HS so you don't have to take it in college...pretty sure i just failed that class while were on subject
May 5 2011 4:35PM
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
I can't say for AP US, but I took AP Euro in high school and I've been thankful for that ever since. Though I'm a history major, so having even just those extra credits made everything a little easier.


So, in all honesty, it wouldn't hurt you to learn it, but in the end its a case of do a lot of work now vs do just about as much work later. The difference is that in college, having an extra course that you need can set you back a few grand, and even put you ridiculously off track to graduate on time. At least if you're school requires some us history, as most do.


You won't escape it.
May 5 2011 4:39PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
None of you actually answered my question. WILL COLLEGES CARE THAT I DROP OUT OF AP HISTORY FOR A YEAR EVEN THOUGH I'M IN 4 OTHERS OR WILL IT AFFECT ME!? thanks...
May 5 2011 5:19PM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089
AP...Advanced Program?
May 5 2011 5:22PM
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
yeah advanced placement i think
May 5 2011 5:25PM
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
colleges dont give a shit what classes you don't take. its for your own good.
May 5 2011 5:28PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
I'm pretty sure it's highly unlikely that you'll get into Stanford even with a 4.0 gpa while taking only normal level classes during highschool so there is some merit to my question.
May 5 2011 5:30PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
nope.
May 5 2011 5:35PM
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snowflexzone
Posts: 200 - Karma: 18
Don't take it. Your workload is outrageous. Seriously I would not recomend it, you have a shitload of APs, you'll be fine. +k for being a soph at a Jesuit school. which one?
May 5 2011 5:38PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
no one gives a flying fuck about a bullshit class like history, especially if you arent going to be majoring in it. That is such a small issue compared to your overall GPA, SAT's, Extra curriculars, Letters of rec.


Seriously, go play a sport if youre so worried about shit.
May 5 2011 5:40PM
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Bob_Loblaw
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 38
I much preferred my college history classes to high school, but that might be because I was way more mature and willing to try. I took a few AP classes but blew off the AP exams, so I didn't get college credit. Still bumped my GPA way up though. It really isn't hard, man. It's still high school.
May 5 2011 5:42PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
I'm not going to brag about my academic or athletic achievements but I can assure you that I'm more than qualified in both areas, including on the ACT. I just was curious if this would affect anything at all, no need to be an ass. To the kid wondering about my school, I go to Canisius HS
May 5 2011 5:45PM
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Proze
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 7
AP hardly means shit on the other side. sorry to let you down...live it up in high school, get good grades in college
May 5 2011 5:47PM
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
are you applying to stanford?
May 5 2011 6:06PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
I plan on it. I'm only finishing up my Sophomore year but it's my top choice at the moment.
May 5 2011 6:33PM
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
fair enough, then I do recommend it. Being a member of some teams and some stupid clubs doesn't entirely make up for advanced courses.

you're going to be busy, but surely you know that to get into a great school you've got to put in the work.
May 5 2011 6:37PM
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chill_davis
Posts: 2107 - Karma: 650
yup
May 5 2011 6:42PM
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thebeesknees
Posts: 3660 - Karma: 160
this, no one gives a fuck about APs
May 5 2011 6:55PM
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steezenskis
Posts: 1044 - Karma: 31
if you want to go to stanford then i would work your ass of. their acceptance rate was in the single digits this year.
May 5 2011 6:56PM
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ImNotARacist
Posts: 5136 - Karma: -1,032
Fuck AP History Definitely take AP government though. You need to know how the Government Operates.
May 5 2011 7:00PM
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Skierguy1234
Posts: 1684 - Karma: 88
a more appropriate title for this thread would be "look how smart I am NS"
May 5 2011 7:04PM
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Bob_Loblaw
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 38
Won't learn that in high school. Or any school, for that matter.
May 5 2011 7:16PM
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CMYK
Posts: 1101 - Karma: 336
IMO your fine. Colleges aren't stupid, they'll see you've taken/are taking other challenging classes. Plus, with 12 APs, they really wont notice the lack of 1 or 2... I dropped down a level in both math and science (from AP Physics to regular physics and from AP Calc to AP Stat) and still got into my first choice.
May 5 2011 7:39PM
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Mr.LemonPie
Posts: 4100 - Karma: 1,625
do not tale five ap classes. trust me. its your seniir year you wont want to study the whole damn year. it wont make any difference for getting into college and the test is really hard, so to get college credit you have to study pretty hard.
May 5 2011 7:42PM
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gregorio
Posts: 2372 - Karma: 151
it's a sophomore class at my school
May 5 2011 7:42PM
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Mr.LemonPie
Posts: 4100 - Karma: 1,625
and, if you are worried about getting into a specific college, you should volunteer. maybe even drop ap psych. find something that is 10 to 20 hours a week and that wipl help you more than all of your ap classes combined.
May 5 2011 7:46PM
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JibtasticAvenger
Posts: 214 - Karma: 16
AP psychology is gonna be bomb
May 5 2011 8:04PM
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ImNotARacist
Posts: 5136 - Karma: -1,032
I see what you did there. God damn government agenda.
May 5 2011 8:42PM
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ImNotARacist
Posts: 5136 - Karma: -1,032
That shit fake like splenda
Spenda couple dollars on bud and they arrest ya.
May 5 2011 8:43PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430
this. OP comes off as a pretentious douchebag.

maybe im just biased against kids who give a shit in school, they kill my class rank
May 5 2011 9:32PM
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Skierguy1234
Posts: 1684 - Karma: 88
im not mad that he gives a shit, its just that if you're smart enough to take those classes i don't think you need college advice from newschoolers; the only reason you would post on here is to brag pretty much
May 5 2011 10:36PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,462
Oh god, that class has been savaging me. But in the end i shall prevail!
May 5 2011 10:48PM
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brendo.
Posts: 1554 - Karma: 77
. It's not a big deal at all. Personally I hate history anyways
May 5 2011 10:54PM
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B-runge
Posts: 16558 - Karma: 360
pretty much.
i highly doubt any nser knows if stanford cares whether or not you take AP us history buddy.

on a side note
i wish i had goals, or could be a kid forever...
and
ap psych is a bomb class though, dont drop it


May 5 2011 10:54PM
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2545 - Karma: 55
Shut the fuck up you piece of shit. If you want to do well somtimes you actually have to work and not be a pussy bitch. I never said anything about being smart I'm just giving the necessary details for people to accurately answer my question. I'm not that intelligent and I'm not pretending to be either.
May 7 2011 12:15PM
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