"Lighter" AP options?

[Kristini2]

My class of 2024 senior will be dancing 20+ hours a week and (hopefully) doing 15 hours a week of art through a state funded program next year.  I thought she should do DE for her other credits to keep the rest of the workload more manageable, but she has her heart set on AP. We'd love to hear about any good, but not overwhelming options, but are specficially looking at AP Calc AB, AP English Language, AP Physics 1, and/or AP Psychology. Some of the AP classes I saw say around 15-20 hours a week of work. Not only is 15 hours a week too much for one class with her other commitments it's over 500 hours of work for one credit if the class is 36 weeks long?!? Thanks in advance! 

Edited April 19, 2023 by Kristini2

[ScoutTN]

If you want Calculus, maybe Stats is not a good option, but it has been very manageable time-wise for my insanely busy senior this year. Practical too. 

[madteaparty]

Uh, one of these things is not like the others. DS took AP Psychology in 8th grade through the excellent PA homeschoolers class and did great on the test, despite us traveling half the class and him doing little over half the assignments.

he did  excellent in the English APs as well but they were a ton more work even for a kid who leaned that way. Math and physics I can’t speak of—he did Calc BC but that’s not on your list (rightfully so!)

[cintinative]

I am wondering if there is any input on AP Art History--not to derail the thread--it might be useful to the OP

[Lori D.]

From seeing the experiences of others on these boards:

Generally LESS time intensive:
- AP Environmental Science
- AP Human Geography
- AP Psychology

Generally MORE time intensive:
- AP Literature & Composition, and, Language & Composition 
- AP Calculus AB and BC
- AP Phsyics C Electricity & Magnetism, and, Mechanics

Generally MIDDLE OF THE ROAD for time investment in AP:
- AP Economics Micro, and, Macro
- AP History, European, and, Modern World, and US
- AP Language & Culture -- if the student is doing well in studying that language

[EKS]

The AP classes that my son found to be easy were AP Psychology, AP Environmental Science, and AP Statistics.  

[Lori D.]

1 minute ago, cintinative said:

I am wondering if there is any input on AP Art History--not to derail the thread--it might be useful to the OP

"Self Studying AP Art History" -- 2017 WTM thread
 

According to a Dec. 2022 question about how hard the test is at the Exam Study Expert website:
"AP Art History is considered moderate difficulty, with class alumnae rating it 5.3/10 for overall difficulty (the 14th-most-difficult out of the 28 large AP classes surveyed). The pass rate is about average vs other AP classes, with 61% graduating with a 3 or higher."

[Lori D.]

1 hour ago, Kristini2 said:

My class of 2024 senior will be dancing 20+ hours a week and (hopefully) doing 15 hours a week of art through a state funded program next year.  I thought she should do DE for her other credits to keep the rest of the workload more manageable, but she has her heart set on AP. We'd love to hear about any good, but not overwhelming options, but are specficially looking at AP Calc AB, AP English Language, AP Physics 1, and/or AP Psychology. Some of the AP classes I saw say around 15-20 hours a week of work. Not only is 15 hours a week too much for one class with her other commitments it's over 500 hours of work for one credit if the class is 36 weeks long?!? Thanks in advance! 

Note:
An AP test is "all or nothing" in that, if you feel poorly on the day of the test, or just aren't thinking well that day -- that's the entirety of your AP experience riding on that one day / one test. In comparison, a DE class accumulates over the course of a semester, and depending on what university you end up at, can also transfer directly as credit towards the degree program, if taking the transferable equivalent course. Just a thought.

Of the AP tests you are interested in:
Calculus and English Language are time-intensive
Physics 1 may be time-intensive
Psychology is unlikely to be time-intensive

[regentrude]

Just a comment on AP Physics 1: if she is going into any science/ engineering except bio, this won't give college credit towards her major. ( you may already know that but it has been my experience that many people don't. )

[Roadrunner]

If you need math, take Calculus AB. If you don’t want calculus, take Statistics AP. If she doesn’t want math at all, take AP Psychology. Stay away from physics. 

[EKS]

3 hours ago, Kristini2 said:

Not only is 15 hours a week too much for one class with her other commitments it's over 500 hours of work for one credit if the class is 36 weeks long?!?

This is one of the reasons that AP classes have a ridiculous quality to them, especially in traditional schools.

[Kristini2]

7 hours ago, cintinative said:

I am wondering if there is any input on AP Art History--not to derail the thread--it might be useful to the OP

The art program she would do if she gets in is at a college and gives her a fine art credit, art history credit, and a career/technical elective credit. I am under the impression all three would be DE credits too, but will find out more if she gets in. They used to give credit for AP art history through this program, so it’s quite possible she could self study. If she doesn’t get in, she’s ready to go full time DE and a lot of this worry clears up, but it’s a top notch program so I am still really hoping she gets in. 

7 hours ago, Lori D. said:

Note:
An AP test is "all or nothing" in that, if you feel poorly on the day of the test, or just aren't thinking well that day -- that's the entirety of your AP experience riding on that one day / one test. In comparison, a DE class accumulates over the course of a semester, and depending on what university you end up at, can also transfer directly as credit towards the degree program, if taking the transferable equivalent course. Just a thought.

Of the AP tests you are interested in:
Calculus and English Language are time-intensive
Physics 1 may be time-intensive
Psychology is unlikely to be time-intensive

Thank you!! Yup! I took 4-5 AP classes my senior year. The rest of my family flew to my grandmother’s funeral but I couldn’t go because I had an ear infection. So I took all of the tests, sick, driving to a big city about an hour away (getting lost the first day), the first time I had ever been left at home alone for multiple nights in a row. I think the tests were easier back in the 90’s though as I somehow did well on them. 

7 hours ago, regentrude said:

Just a comment on AP Physics 1: if she is going into any science/ engineering except bio, this won't give college credit towards her major. ( you may already know that but it has been my experience that many people don't. )

She will probably double major in something bio and something fine arts. She’s unlikely to go straight from high school to college (is looking to dance professionally and then go to college) so I’m not worried about credits. It’s fine if she has to start over in physics if any is required for her major in college, but thank you!!
 

Thanks everyone!! This is very helpful. Sounds like I need to keep pushing for her to consider at least English being DE. She’s a competent writer, but is just going to be time pressed next year.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Kristini2

[stripe]

21 minutes ago, Kristini2 said:

Thanks everyone!! This is very helpful. Sounds like I need to keep pushing for her to consider at least English being DE. She’s a competent writer, but is just going to be time pressed next year.

I am fairly certain all the homeschool AP English vendors have classes that would be described as time consuming. 

[kokotg]

2 hours ago, cintinative said:

I am wondering if there is any input on AP Art History--not to derail the thread--it might be useful to the OP

I know OP has said it won't work for her kid, but I've been through AP art history (at home) with two kids now: it's not a difficult exam as far as the skills that are called for, but there's a TON of material to cover, so it can be time consuming and overwhelming (and it's a lot of memorization compared to most exams). I really enjoy doing it, but it also would be nice to be able to slow down a bit and linger over some things. 

Human geography is not, IME, a particularly time consuming one. I've had two kids do it as a 2 hour 1x/week class (plus some but not a ton of homework--total time commitment of no more than 4 hours most weeks, I'd say, including the class), and do well on the exam with just that plus a few weeks going through a test prep book.