One of the most difficult decisions that sophomores face as they prepare for their junior year is whether or not to take AP United States History.
The class is one of the more popular AP courses that students enroll in at Columbus High, but one should not select a course based solely off of peer pressure. Here is everything you need to know about AP U.S. History.
For starters, the class is available strictly to 11th grade students, so sorry freshmen, you have to wait one more year.
Commonly referred to as APUSH, the course covers America’s history tracing all the way back to its discovery in 1492. The content is separated into 9 different periods, each covering a different era.
Period | Date Range |
1 | 1491-1607 |
2 | 1607-1754 |
3 | 1754-1800 |
4 | 1800-1848 |
5 | 1844-1877 |
6 | 1865-1898 |
7 | 1890-1945 |
8 | 1945-1980 |
9 | 1980-Present |
APUSH is often compared to its predecessor class, AP World History. The two classes have their differences, though.
"APUSH is different than AP World due to the depth of knowledge and content that is required between the two," explains Mr. Forgie, who has taught the class for over 10 years, "APUSH is much more content specific and it delves into the cause and effects."
The structure of the exam is identical to that of AP World. It consists of four parts: Multiple Choice (MCQ), Short-Answer Questions (SAQ), a Long Essay Question (LEQ), and a Document-Based Question (DBQ).
Many colleges require at least a 4 on the exam for credit, so it is vital that students make an effort to study outside of the classroom.
"Students should dedicate themselves to prepare at least 3 hours a week to study and prepare for the exam," reiterates Forgie, "Most students need to study and review at least this much to guarantee a 4 or 5 on the exam."
If you have a desire to learn more about history and are willing to put in effort outside the classroom, then APUSH is the class for you.