As course registration rolls around, many students are debating what classes to take. One key requirement all students have is 3 years of social sciences, starting with world history in sophomore year. Sophomore students can choose between AP World History and College Prep (CP) World History, while juniors can choose between AP U.S. History and CP U.S. History. 

While many students solely choose courses on boosting college admissions chances and maximizing their GPA’s, it’s important to take classes that truly align with your interests, priorities, and time management skills.

Arguably the harder of the two AP histories, AP U.S. History covers colonization to present day America, and the main expectation from this class is a considerable workload since the AP exam itself needs substantial review and practice. Heavy reading and writing work will be assigned each with frequent quizzes and tests. It is a rigorous course, so taking it with absolutely no interest in history will lead to students feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. However, if you do genuinely enjoy history and are willing to put in hard work to learn the subject, then this course will be engaging and interesting. It also improves your writing skills and is recommended for humanities majors like political science or world affairs. 

Another content heavy class, AP World, covers global history from the beginnings of civilization to the present day. Similar to APUSH, the course has a heavy workload, including writing and reading assignments every week, several group projects, presentations, and regular quizzes. Again, with this amount of rigor, it is important to consider if you enjoy the subject before delving into any AP. Additionally, it is recommended for majors such as international relations or global studies. 

Finally, College Prep World History and US History. This course focuses on more fundamental ideas and core events rather than going more in depth in specific topics. It has a moderate workload, which allows students to prioritize other rigorous classes and extracurriculars. 

In the end, it’s always more important to prioritize well-being and mental health over taking the ‘hardest’ classes. While AP courses can be beneficial, they should be taken in subjects that genuinely interest you and relate to your future goals, and not just for the GPA inflation. Balancing academics with well-being will ultimately pay off in the long run.