So school just started for me on Monday, and I'm in 3 different AP (advanced Placement, for those that don't know) classes, AP Us History, AP Enviromental Science, and AP English Language and Composition. I was wondering if anybody else here has ever taken (or is taking) any AP classes, and if they have any survival tips for making it through the year. Thank you in advance!

The only AP class offered at my school is AP Art. Which I'm taking, all I have to do is make a portfolio.

However I do have each of those same classes this year on the Honors level and could help you out if want

I took AP physics, calculus, and English lit. My only advice is to get used to doing the work. In my experience college is a lot more work than AP classes, but I'm sure that varies by school.

Well, I've taken AP Human Geography sophomore year and am now taking APUSH. Next year I plan on AP Spanish, Calculus AB/BC (they're AP), and AP Modern Euro History. Human Geography was pretty easy, just an introduction to how AP classes work. APUSH, so far, has just been a lot of work. It's more time consuming than difficult. We have reading every night that we outline and we are expected to make connections and thoroughly understand what we are reading. What you will do in the class could easily depend on where you are and who's teaching it, but if you're going to be prepared for the massive AP test you're gonna work hard. No way around it. Luckily, I have an awesome teacher who is able to be entertaining and silly while at the same time talking at us with lectures. I could see a different teacher making the class boring.

Study. Usually in an AP class you at least have to make an effort prior to tests, unlike the rest of highschool.

Oddly enough I had the grades to be in AP classes but never took them :shrug:

Went to college and graduated the same time as a lot of the kids who took the AP classes so I figure it all evened out in the end.

Took AP English (both 11 and 12), Calc I/II, American History, World History, Econ (Macro&Micro), and two courses of AP art. Short of "do the work," and "use your brain," I've got no advice to give. I personally didn't find the work too hard (coasted through American History and Econ w/o doing most of the readings, and still got As), though I guess that depends on the school and person.

One thing to remember for later: you don't have to take the tests. There is no point in spending 90$ if your college doesn't accept the credit, or if you're not sure you know the material.

All I can say is they are worth the extra effort.

I took several AP classes in high school (calculus, history, english, physics, biology, chemistry IIRC). I'm not sure exactly how much impact they have on the admissions process, but I imagine it helped. Also, they enabled me to completely skip several required college courses and I think they made it easier to get into the honors program.

Yep, I'm in AP English Literature and Composition, AP U.S Government and Politics, and AP Art History, which is pretty much all the AP classes I could take except AP Calculus, which would completely murder me. Just do the work and study.

I took AP English in 11th and 12th grade. Like others have been saying, there's not much advice to give other than be prepared to do quite a bit of work.

One thing I will say though is if you take the AP exam and you do well enough to get credit for a college class, make sure when registering for college classes that you work out getting your credits transferred with your college and don't wait until the last minute. I waited, and now I'm basically taking the same class over again in college that I took in high school because I didn't have time to talk to someone about getting credit for my grades on the AP exam.

I would say that AP classes are different based upon the teacher teaching it. Took HS level C++ programming then went into the AP C++ class. It is a lot harder and I won't sugar coat the truth there. However I would say deal with it at a normal pace and don't wrap yourself up in it letting it consume you. Just go with the flow and accomplish your goals to the best of your abilities. The best way I dealt with the AP class for C++ was choosing assignments that I knew that I could complete and completing them in an increasing order.

When I had free time for my AP classes I would use it wisely to study for the next test or project that was coming up.

I've taken two, AP English and AP US Government. English was great, we had a great teacher who prepared us well for the test. I got a 4 on it, which was fine by my standards. Government however, we had a teacher who only had the class because he'd been teaching at my school the longest. He essentially sat there and told us random stories about figures of the government that weren't actually related to the subject itself, and would have brief periods where he'd just stare off into space for about 10 minutes. I barely managed a 3 on the test.

So, AP classes are just like any other class. You can have good teachers or bad teachers. The main difference is that there is more risk in it, and of course the difficulty curve is higher. But if you're higher than a C student, you should be able to handle an AP test. My general experience is that the capability of the teacher is a bigger influence than the capability of their students.

Also, unlike an honors class or something, this is all about the test, not really whatever knowledge you're supposed to take away from it. You're taught by the test solely to prepare for the test. It looks really good on a college application if you have some high AP test scores, but you might not actually get as much experience out of it. Of course the tests are always optional (at least it was in my English class - my Gov teacher gave those who didn't take the test an even more difficult final worth 50% of your final grade) and you don't need to take them if you don't think you can handle them. But if you don't take the test, it's nothing more than a sugar-coated honors course to prepare you for something you won't do.

I took every class AP in high school and I didn't find it very hard. Especially by grade 12 I never did any reading, copied/didn't do/half assed the homework, and studied a bit for tests, while partying quite a bit and still got a 4.0. University on the other hand, I've actually had to work pretty hard in but I'm still in the upper 3s

Um, can't help you.

BUT I'm curious about the AP Enviro Sci class. What will you be studying? And where are you at? (if'n your don't mind)

I've taken AP U.S. History, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Latin (Never, I repeat, NEVER take this), and AP U.S. Government. Overall, I would say that you have got to keep up with the reading, assignments, essays, etc. Because once you realize it's May and begin to cram, you look back and think, "Why the heck didn't I study consistently instead of trying to cram?" Also, make sure your teacher prepares you as much as possible (most teachers teaching AP courses know what they're doing, but nonetheless).

Took AP world, US, Psych, Calc and Econ. Failed Psych and Calc because I had no interest in those classes and never paid attention.

Some big pointers are to pay attention and take notes if you have to. Pick up a Princeton review book and start studying around April which is about a month before the actual exams.

And I'm guessing you have to outline the chapters for US history, that always helped me.

Took AP Biology, Macro, US "History", and Gov/Politics. Biology was fun; the other three were borderline propaganda.

While it was nice to enter college with 20 credits it had its drawbacks. Three of those classes would have been Freshman level Gen Eds (A.K.A blow off classes) and I would have received a nice boost to my GPA had I taken them in college.

Still, saving a semester's worth of money is nice.

My advice: There will be several problems on the test that are wrong, just give them the answer that they want to hear.