Potential

I've decided to self-study AP Psych and AP Environmental for the coming school year. I'm really interested in both subjects but unfortunately, my school does not offer them. It seems like both classes are self-studyable.

For those of you who have taken these courses, I have a few questions:

1) What textbooks are good for these classes? Are there commonly used texts, like Campbell's for Bio? (I've heard that 'Living in the Environment' by Miller is a strong book for environmental...any thoughts?)

2) How lab-intensive is environmental?

3) What did you like/dislike about these courses?

4) Do you encourage self-study for these subjects or not?

As a sidenote, I'm a rising senior and I've taken AP Bio and I did well on the AP exam. Also, it's not the AP credit that appeals to me as much as the subject matter itself. However, I figured that if my own curiosity was motivating me to learn about psych and environ., I might as well try to tailor my learning to the AP syllabi to earn credit in the process.

Thanks in advance for any help! I really appreciate it.

z09

i took ap enviro using the miller book.
to explain, let me make a comparison.
you know how the campbell is really an excellent and complete bio text, but it's excessive for the AP. same with the miller. it's really thorough and excellent. but you really don't need to know all that info for the ap.
Still, if u want to know which to get, go for the Miller one.
and we never had labs for enviro.

also, my school uses the psychology book by Myers. It's known as an excellent and also funny and readable text. I read it and it really is fun to read, not so dreadful and monotonous. Very interesting. It's the one UCLA psych department uses, as well as many other colleges.

al3csp34rs

My psych class used Psychology by Myers. It was concise and enjoyable (probably my favorite text book ever). This supplemented with barron's, and you are guaranteed a 5 (which, cross your fingers, i got).

z09

Enviro was a truly interesting course.
Even though I crammed at the last minute, I really learned a lot of material that actually had some use. I mean like, Calc, history, Stat, Physics, are intellectually challenging but, Enviro is something else. You learn about sewer cleanup processes, trash problems, efficient fuels for growing cities, hazardous toxins in buildings, etc...things that every citizen should be knowledgeable of.
i dont know how else i would've known about formaldehyde in new buildings, and that the sprinklers are "reclaimed" poo water. yuck.

Jenife

sry this isnt really relevant...um...many ppl self-studied for ap psych w/out a textbook. do you recommend it?

z09

i bet you can just study a couple review books inside and out
and pass. or more.

willigetin

!) just us barrons for apes and psych
2) not very
3) apes - boring; psych - fun,easy, stupid
4)self study psych, apes is too hard to self study

z09

dude apes is NOT too hard to self study.
i studied the McGraw Hill AP Achiever book for 2 weeks and got a 5 (I just found out) . I never read the text cause my class is a joke, you have NO idea HOW much of a joke it is. buy that book and it will save ur life