Junior Year: APUSH vs. Honors American Literature (Honors English 11)?

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

For quick context, my school only allows students to take a maximum of 4 Honors/AP classes. (In reality, it’s 3, but I had to go through an application process for 4.)

For sophomore year, I had the following schedule:

  1. General art elective
  2. ASB (Senator)
  3. Honors Precalc
  4. Required religion course
  5. AP World History
  6. Honors Chem
  7. French 2
  8. Honors English 10

For junior year, I currently have the pending schedule:

  1. Painting 1 and 2
  2. ASB (Vice President)
  3. AP Calc AB
  4. Required religion course
  5. APUSH or Reg US History
  6. AP Chem
  7. Hon French 3
  8. Hon American Lit/English 11 or Reg English 11

Again, debate is between APUSH or Honors English.

For APUSH, I’ve heard the usual horror stories. I did really well freshmen year for the required history course World Geography (finished with a 102%). For AP World, I had a bit of a struggle and ended up finishing first semester with a B+. My instinct is to take that as a sign that, while I enjoyed learning in that class, maybe it’s not meant to be. However, the other part of me doesn’t want to waste all the work I put into AP World. It was a challenging course for me mainly because I’d never learned history in that way (analyzing patterns and what not). I’ve always learned history in which I’m given a set of facts, I memorize those facts, and then I reiterate them before dropping them after a test. Additionally, I recall enjoying learning about US history growing up as opposed to the world in general.

As for English–well it’s always been my strong suit along with math and chemistry. I’ve heard that my school’s Honors English really prepares you for more than just that class (such as teaching you how to write essays quickly and efficiently, analyzing, so on). Additionally, the class still takes the AP English exam at the end of the year.

Now of course I think passion is a huge factor, and I believe that while I feel passionate about both history (albeit more US history than world history) and English, I feel more passionate towards English.

However, strictly speaking about what is more appealing to colleges and what will benefit me more as a student in the long run, which is better? APUSH or Honors English?

Extra note, not as relevant as everything else, but I plan on doing Academic Decathlon (2016-2017 subject is World War II which is exciting as hell for me) and possibly Speech Team if I decide to take Honors English instead of APUSH.

2

If you’re more passionate about Honors English that would be a good choice. I feel like APUSH would be more appealing to colleges in that sense because it’s an AP class.

3

APUSH is like AP World in that it is a lot like analyzing patterns, learning to recognize social patterns and changes, and learning what influences what. The AP test itself is a lot less of straight memorization and more of knowing which social groups held which views at what time period, which social movement would have resulted in the views expressed, etc. I love history, particularly US history, and so APUSH has been my favorite class that I’ve ever taken. It was a lot of reading, though, and a lot of remembering specific dates and details and orders. However, it is less history, since it’s just from 1492-ish and not thousands of years BCE.

I’d say go to where you’re passionate and could still pull off good grades. For you, that sounds like English, although I’d always recommend APUSH because I liked it a lot. Also, it wouldn’t be a waste of work, because even though a few things are the same (There’s still DBQs) not everything is the same. AP World isn’t a prep class for APUSH.

4

Just realized my wording could’ve been better there–my apologies. When I say waste of work, I meant more on the basis of what both APUSH and APWH generally depend on (i.e. Analyzing patterns vs. Sole memorization of facts). Like I said, I hadn’t learned, let alone hone, the skills on doing that until I’d taken APWH, which is why part of me would think it better to continue into APUSH so that I may hone those skills.

And of course, thank you for the advice!

5

I think I probably just misread you, so apologies on my part too. In any case, I wouldn’t consider it a waste of work, since learning those skills will probably be applicable to lots of things and classes besides APUSH. You should have a pretty solid base from AP World, even if you don’t hone them any more.

Whatever you decide to go with, good luck! :slight_smile:

6

I’d go with Honors English, as improving your writing will help you with all your other classes, as well as your college essays. I’m also guessing you may be able to take another AP History class senior year, while Honors English 11 is different from Honors English 12.

7

Bumping this up one last time since final course decision is due tonight at 11:59 PM *PST (currently 8:33 PM PST)

8

I just can’t get past this:

Wait—so you got a B+ in a decently advanced course, and you’re taking that as a sign of failure?!? I mean, not just a B, but a B**+**?

Dude, that’s a really good grade. Even for a basic non-advanced course it’s a pretty good grade. If you feel like you can’t accept a B+ in a class or two, you have a very, very unhappily dreadful life ahead of you. This goes double if you’re willing to throw away something you enjoy just because of that barest bit of a blemish.

I mean, relax a little. Even if you’re used to all A grades, getting the very next step below that now and again is okay. Perfection is good, but please don’t take it as a necessity. Seriously, that’s not healthy.

p.s. Saying something’s due at 11:59p doesn’t help without a time zone.

9

I would go with Honors English. If you can take the AP test at the end (if the course preps you for it), it would be a great bonus. As you already took an AP history course, I would recommend a higher level English course.

At the end, its up to you!
Whatever choice you make, just know both the courses are great!

10

I know, I know, I have a lot of relaxing to do. But for now, going back to the main point, would an Honors English class (which I forgot to mention still takes the AP English exam in the spring) or APUSH be better fit and/or more wise of me to take?

11

For anyone new reading this, just wanted to emphasize the point I neglected to mention:

Even though it’d be taking an honors English course, the class still requires that students take the AP English exam in the spring.

12

And thank you Salutation! Just now saw your comment after refreshing the webpage.

13

In my opinion, the “more wise option” would be the honors english which takes the ap english test in the spring.

14

Honors English. I feel like it looks better to take an advanced course in one of the “core subjects”, and if you want to take AP English senior year, definitely do not take regular English. Especially for advanced students, regular English is a drag.

Honestly, regular US History is a pain too because it makes you feel dumber every time you walk into the class (speaking from personal experience here) unless you manage to get a teacher whose class doesn’t consist of useless projects, but it’s better to un-learn in history (a class that will not really be useful to you unless you go on to law school or to become a history major, and one whose information is easy to learn in your own time) than in English (which you will use for the rest of your life).

And if the Honors English teacher is better, it’s a no-brainer.

15

Thank you guys! This has honestly been very, very helpful for me. Tonystarkofwinterfell, you pretty much were the final push.

For anyone that wants to know about my plans now, whether out of curiosity or for an idea of what you could do, continue reading.

I’ll be taking the following courses for junior year:

  1. Required art elective
  2. ASB Vice President
  3. AP Calc
  4. Required religion course
  5. Reg. US History
    • Since I had a difficult time deciding between APUSH and Honors English, I figured I could at least use the extra time granted by Reg. US History to continue being a part of Model UN and/or join the Academic Decathlon team. I’m especially excited for AcaDeca considering the 2016-2017 theme will be World War 2 (!!!).
    • Will be taking AP Gov senior year along with required Econ and Civics courses
  6. AP Chemistry
    • Will be taking Physics over the summer or Honors Physics senior year
  7. Honors French 3
    • I love French and am also preparing to take AP French 4 senior year
  8. Honors English
    • Will be taking the AP English test during the spring
16

@trumanblack that’s great! Also, Model UN is awesome c: