Best first AP? Easier/manageable?

[mirabillis]

What are your thoughts for a good first AP, possibly for a 9th grader?

My older ds (10th) has taken 6 APs but none I feel fit the bill for my dd for an 'easier/manageable" first AP. Different strokes for different folks and all that...

Here's our experiences:
AP Comp Sci (Edhesive) - good first AP but for a mathier, number loving sort (not my dd)
AP HumanGeo (PAH) - bad experience with PAH so did not prepare well. skittish to tackle the subject again
AP US Govt (Thinkwell) - we'll see how we fare. i think fairly straightforward. but test changing next year
AP Chem (PAH) - not a good first AP. great class but super rigorous. awesome for the right student
AP Macro (PAH) - ds thinks this one could fit the bill, but i think maybe a little too mathy for my 9th grader (maybe in 10th)
AP Micro (PAH) - would time with macro later on...

so your thoughts and suggestions, PLEASE???? ?

[satellite]

Definitely AP Psychology. It's one of the more easier, yet interesting AP's. I took it this year, and I enjoyed the class.

AP Environmental Science is supposed to be easy as well. There's also AP Bio and AP Euro, but those are pretty challenging - the amount of rigor heavily relies on the where the course is taken.

[3andme]

I would suggest AP Psychology. It has fairly wide appeal in general and many topics are very relevant to teens. It does not require any specific math or science ability. While broad in scope, the content is more manageable than other AP science or history classes since it's normally a one semester course. The greatest challenge is remembering all the technical terms, psychologists, and methods. The exam is 2/3 multiple choice (100 questions) and 1/3 FRQ (2 multi-part free response questions) which require only fairly straightforward descriptive answers not essays.

The score distribution is also more forgiving than some courses with over 18% - 5s and 25% - 4s as shown below:

Psychology

18.8%

25.2%

20.1%

14.7%

21.2%

 

[crazyforlatin]

A few students irl have told me that AP Human Geography is the easiest. I have no idea if that's true; my only experience so far is AP Latin.

[SebastianCat]

My DS’s first AP class was Environmental Science at PAH.  It has been rigorous enough for him to take it seriously, but not all-consuming. 

[skimomma]

7 hours ago, crazyforlatin said:

A few students irl have told me that AP Human Geography is the easiest. I have no idea if that's true; my only experience so far is AP Latin.

 

Not Latin, Ha ha!  That is dd's first AP class (as a 9th grader) and I think that will be the last AP anything for her.....but that is more because we really struggled to find a test site for the exam.  I have heard the same as previous posters about Human Geography, Environmental Science, and Psychology.

[SanDiegoMom]

I second or third Psychology and Environmental Science. My dd said those were the easiest because so much of it was intuitive and anyone who had read widely as a kid would have no problem.  She took 11 exams and those were her easiest. 

[cuckoomamma]

Psych, Art History, Environmental

[counselinggirl]

AP Psych for sure! Super class! Manageable test, mainly memorization. My Dd was a Freshman when she took it and she loved it! Still quotes material from the class! ?

[pinkelement]

AP Psych was a delightful class and honestly, most of the time took less time than some of my dd's other regular classes. Bonus, is that her eyes light up when she hears psych. references in the conversations. Excellent first AP class. And I can't imagine more supportive and accommodating teacher than Bonnie Gonzalez.

 

 

 

[madteaparty]

1 hour ago, pinkelement said:

AP Psych was a delightful class and honestly, most of the time took less time than some of my dd's other regular classes. Bonus, is that her eyes light up when she hears psych. references in the conversations. Excellent first AP class. And I can't imagine more supportive and accommodating teacher than Bonnie Gonzalez.

 

 

 

Agree so much I made its own post about it.  DS is walking around diagnosing us. He has much to work with ?

Now, if someone will tell me anything at all about AP Art History by the same provider...: )

[Mbelle]

My dd took APHG in 9th.  Despite not really caring about school work at all that year, she did very well.  She got a 5 on the test.

It is interesting if you like that sort of thing, but like a lot of AP classes there is a lot of busy work.