With new advancements in technology and improvements in school curriculums, it is becoming even easier for students to receive the education that they desire. Online classes are a great way to get needed credits for college. If you have access to the internet and you want to complete courses online, many schools offer this opportunity.
BYU Independent Study offers more than 500 online courses for your benefit. You can find almost any class that can help you in your field of study. Along with providing many classes for college students, BYU online courses also give high school students the opportunity to learn and receive college credit for the work they do.
Often, high school students choose to take AP classes to help them get ahead when they go to college. However, with hundreds of online AP classes from different colleges to choose from, it can be hard to make the right decision. We came up with a list of five great AP classes that you can take through BYU Independent Study. We also included our rating of each class.
How We Chose Our Ratings
To give you the most honest and accurate review of each course, we looked at the overall value of the class. Is it worth your time and money to take? Is it a good course to take online rather than at school? Along with this, we looked at the assignments, quizzes and tests you would take for the class, along with the materials required. With the combination of all these factors, we try to make our ratings as authentic as possible.
If you are considering earning some college credit for social sciences, this class is a great option. This course fully prepares you for the AP Psychology test by giving you an in-depth understanding of the behavior of humans. Some of the curriculum taught includes the history of psychology, states of consciousness and the nature vs. nurture concept.
Students taking this course are encouraged to have already taken an introductory psychology course to understand what the class is about. This course is the first class in a two-part series, both of which prepare students to take the national AP Psychology exam. However, the cost of the psychology exam is not part of the tuition of the class.
Materials Needed: Psychology 7th Edition by David G. Myers. Many reviews claim that it is a great introductory book on psychology.
What to Expect
If you want to take this class, you can expect it to be rigorous. The teacher suggests that you know how to read well and are willing to read often. The textbook will be a big part of the class, and you will be expected to read and understand the passages in the book
In this class, most assignments are graded immediately by the computer and will give you feedback about the answers. Along with this, there is one proctored exam at the end of the course. This test has 100 multiple-choice questions. However, there are no quizzes required in any of the units.
Although you will be working hard, you’ll probably enjoy what you are learning. Psychology can teach you more about yourself and others. You can learn specific concepts and theories that can help you understand why humans do certain things.
Verdict
If the AP Psychology test is an exam you wish to take, this class can help you prepare for it. It requires a lot of reading, but the course gives you a solid understanding of psychology without requiring a lot of written work. The materials are presented well, and the teacher is willing to provide feedback and offers many resources to help you succeed. If this is what you are looking for, we give this online course a 4/5.
Rating
This course is the first course of a 2-part AP U.S. History series that teaches history from 1491 all the way up to 1877. In this class, you will be learning about the explorations in America, how the United States formed, and tensions in the formation and enforcement of the early United States government.
The AP U.S. History exam demands that students know how to write essays and answer core questions concerning the subject. By practicing multiple-choice questions, document-based essays, and written questions, this course can prepare you for what is on the national test.
Materials needed: Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People by A. Brinkley. Many reviews claim that this textbook is well written and is a great resource.
What to Expect
There is a lot of history to cover, but this course is organized to ensure you get the most out of your learning. There are 12 units that each consists of a reading assignment, self-check quiz, and course readings. Each unit will have a quiz, and there are two reviews within the course.
If you enjoy history, this course will be very interesting. You’ll learn about the American Revolution, eras of early presidents, and the Civil War. Along with this, you’ll be fully prepared to answer questions and write essays about these concepts.
Verdict
If you want to pass the AP U.S. History test, this class can help you learn the subjects that will appear on the exam. You will be reading a lot and taking quizzes, but the workload is reasonable. The course is easy to navigate and understand, and there aren’t a lot of materials required for the class. Overall, we’d give this course a 4/5 as well.
Rating
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This course introduces the foundations of biology while prepping students for the AP Biology exam. It is the first course in a two-part series, and it teaches concepts such as the study of life, cell structure and genes.
There are four big ideas taught in this online course. First, you will learn about the process of evolution. Next is energy and how biological systems utilize it, while the third idea is how living systems store and transmit information to life processes. The last one is how biological systems interact with each other. With these fundamentals of biology, you can easily learn how to answer AP Biology exam questions and prompts.
Materials Required: Biology by OpenStax College is required for this course. However, you can download it for free.
What to Expect
The curriculum includes quizzes, tests and virtual labs. The virtual labs are designed to help you understand the concepts that you have learned. Longer essay questions will also be required to help prepare you for the AP Biology exam. However, these essays must be handwritten and scanned into the computer to simulate how the test will be.
If you enjoy learning about how life works and interacts, this course will be enjoyable, although the coursework reiterates the four main ideas frequently. Also, be prepared to read passages and write essays often.
Verdict
There are some great benefits gained from taking this class. You’ll be able to understand four main ideas of biology, and you’ll be prepared to take the AP Biology test. However, there is a lot required of you. You will be expected to complete 17 quizzes, 17 reading question assignments, seven virtual labs, four unit essays, and a final exam. But when it comes down to it, this work can help you feel ready to take the AP Biology test. We’d give this course a comfortable 3.5/5.
Rating
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Comparable to a college-level Calculus 1 course, this AP course fully prepares you to take the AP Calculus test at the end of the year. If you take this course, you need to have already taken Pre-Calculus Part 2 or an equivalent of this class.
Students can learn the basics of calculus as well as important concepts such as limits and continuity, derivatives, and functions. This class not only helps students get a head start in college, but it is a great course to take to help you further your engineering, economics, or physics career.
Materials Required: Unlike the other courses mentioned in this guide, there are quite a few materials needed for AP Calculus. You will need a graphing calculator that is approved by the AP college board. The price of a graphing calculator can vary depending on the features and model. Along with this, students will need to pay for access to animated video lessons from StudyForge, but this fee is part of the registration costs. Be sure to check that your computer or laptop has a microphone and speaker.
What to Expect
There are 27 quizzes that are a part of this program. However, many of these quizzes can be resubmitted as many times as needed. You can keep your highest score with no docked points. Students are also required to work through problems and turn them in, discuss these problems with peers and review the concepts they were supposed to learn from the problems. The instructor then grades these components.
The quizzes and assignments are centered on helping the student learn. There is one proctored exam at the end of the course and students must pass with a 60% or higher. However, one retake is allowed. The exam will only be available in print.
Verdict
If earning math college credit benefits you, this class and the similar Part 2 class can help you prepare for the AP Calculus test. Although the materials might be a bit expensive, the workload is very reasonable and focused on the student. You can receive the help and assistance that you need to understand the coursework. We give this course a 4.5/5.
How to Choose the Right Classes for You
Although all four classes are great options, it really comes down to what helps you the most. Not every AP class is the right one for your career path and schedule. When choosing an AP class, consider which college credits you wish to cover. If you are considering a specific field of study, determine if an AP score can help qualify you for certain classes.
Do some research on your own to decide if these AP classes can help you. Depending on your test score, you might be able to earn more college credit. Figure out which tests you need to take to improve your future college career.
Why Take AP Classes?
If you are on the fence about taking an AP class from BYU Independent Study, consider this: AP classes challenge you. They require a lot of work, which ultimately prepares you for college. By learning how to manage your time, read textbook passages often and complete various assignments, you can handle the workload of a college student.
Along with this, AP classes can save you money. By getting a head start on your college education, you are more likely to finish in four years or less, which can save you a lot of money. And by taking these classes online, you can receive your education in the comfort of your own home. You don’t have to worry about attending a course locally, and you don’t have to spend those hours in a classroom.
Who Should Take AP Classes?
AP classes demand a lot more than regular high school classes. There is a lot of reading involved, AP questions can be hard to understand, and you must master many concepts. If you want to succeed in these courses, you must be hard-working and motivated. Review how you have done in harder classes in the past. If you think you can handle the workload and understanding the concepts, then AP classes are the way to go.
BYU Independent Study gives both college students and high school students the opportunity to learn and grow online. The courses are user-friendly and easy to understand. If you want to earn early college credit, these classes can help you. These AP classes have decent workloads and fully cover the concepts that will appear in the AP tests. If you are considering enrolling in BYU online courses, these AP tests are very good options.
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