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AP Course Guide: History and Social Studies

A student guide to choosing history AP classes, from course rigor to time commitment

Charlie Balestra and Globe Staff • January 20, 2026

Illustrated icons that represent the different kinds of AP classes students can take.

At Clayton, Advance Placement (AP) classes are made available to upperclassmen, offering a rigorous accelerated curriculum that mirrors college material. Clayton often has a 90% district pass rate, with a score of three or above, according to Niche.com, compared to the national average of 60%. The two to three-hour-long test is taken in May. Each test is given a score of 1-5 based on its multiple-choice and free-response results sections. Many colleges grant credit for a passing score, which is a three, four or five.

AP classes are an opportunity to save money and time on college tuition, explore college-level course-related material related to a future major or interest and improve academic rigor.

AP Classes: History and Social Studies

Katherine M. Strait, Website Managing Editor and Copy Editor

AP African American History

(Zoey Lin)

AP African American History examines the history, culture, politics, and contributions of African Americans from ancient Africa to the present. Students analyze primary sources, scholarly works and contemporary issues to understand how African American experiences have shaped the United States and the broader world.

"The class has helped me make connections with other things that I've learned about, like in other history classes, or even things that are going on in the world right now. I feel like it gives me almost an inside scoop to kind of understand things better."

-Sofia InshirahFernandez, 12

Homework Per Night: 15-20 Mins

Challenge Level: 5/10

National Exam Pass Rate: 79.2%

AP Economics

(Zoey Lin)

AP Economics is a course offered to juniors and seniors that introduces students to how individuals, businesses and governments make economic decisions. It’s a two-part course: Microeconomics in the first semester, focusing on specific markets and their models, and Macroeconomics in the second semester, focusing on the broader economy.

"When debating what humanities classes I wanted to take my junior year, AP Economics was at the top of my list. It's a subject that will be very practical to have foundational knowledge about, going into adulthood. I have really enjoyed the class so far and have even started thinking about majoring in Econ in college. Dr. Glossenger makes the lessons super engaging and interesting."

-Sara Vitsky, 11

Homework Per Night: Optional

Challenge Level: 5/10

National Exam Pass Rate: Macro (67.3%), Micro (68.2%)

Clayton Exam Pass Rate: Macro (89.6%), Micro (86.8%)

AP European History

(Zoey Lin)

AP Euro is a course offered to juniors and seniors which starts in 1450 and covers the social, political and cultural trajectory of the heart of the Western world through the present day. The class covers a wide range of topics, from art history to Enlightenment philosophy to the World Wars.

"I chose to take AP Euro because I have always been interested in history. I also felt that in previous history classes, we focused more on the U.S. and less on what was happening in other countries. Even though there is a lot of reading each night, I love the class because it feels like Ms. Doyle is telling us stories, and we get to dive deep into art and religion, which are both really interesting."

-Isla Kennerly, 11

Homework Per Night: 30-60 mins

Challenge Level: 8/10

National Exam Pass Rate: 72.6%

AP Government

(Zoey Lin)

AP Government is a course taught to juniors and seniors. It combines two different AP classes: in semester one, you take AP U.S. Government, where you learn about how the U.S. government and U.S. political system work; this semester will also fulfill your government credit. In semester two, you take AP Comparative Government, where you compare the governments of six nations and learn to think like a political scientist. Because the class consists of two different AP courses, you have the option to take one or both of the AP tests in May.

“I took this class for two reasons, the first is for the government requirement on our transcripts. The second is that, given the political state of the United States right now, I wanted to learn more about our government so that I can be more involved in politics and discussions amongst my peers.”

-Sameer Sharma, 11

Homework Per Night: 10-15 min

Challenge Level: 6/10

National Exam Pass Rate: 71.7% (US Gov) 71.8% (Comp Gov)

Clayton Exam Pass Rate: 100% (US Gov), 91.3% (Comp Gov)

AP Human Geography

(Zoey Lin)

AP Human Geography is a course offered to juniors and seniors that focuses on how humans interact with the world around them, studying patterns of population, culture, cities, agriculture, economics and political organization. Throughout the year, students learn to analyze maps, data and real-world case studies to understand why places develop the way they do and how globalization connects regions across the globe.

“It’s interesting to learn about human behaviour because it explains so much about our day-to-day life. My favorite thing was our dodecahedron project about a specific country, where I picked France, and [I] was fascinated by the Bastille Day parade. The class helped me see how people move around the world and understand.”

-Sam Thompson, 12

Homework Per Night: 10-20 Mins

Challenge Level: 5/10

National Exam Pass Rate: 64.7%

Clayton Exam Pass Rate: 95.5%

AP Psychology

(Zoey Lin)

AP Psychology is a social science course that studies human behavior and mental processes. The course covers topics such as brain function, memory, cognition, development, mental health and more. It builds on skills developed in earlier science and social studies courses.

“I chose to take AP Psychology because I thought it would be interesting to learn about why humans perform the way they do and why they do certain things. I also thought it would be interesting because I want to go into the medical field. It’s interesting to learn about why humans do what they do and how to manage that. Learning the terminology and what everything means can be a bit challenging. The tests are what make it difficult, because you have to apply what you learn to real-world situations. Overall, it isn't super difficult; it's just hard to study."

-Zeira Reed-Stausing, 11

Homework Per Night: 30-50 minutes

Challenge Level: 4/10

National Exam Pass Rate: 69.2 %

Clayton Exam Pass Rate: 90.7%

AP U.S. History (APUSH)

(Zoey Lin)

AP U.S. History is a course offered to juniors and seniors that explores the political, social, economic and cultural development of the United States in the past and present. The class emphasizes historical thinking skills such as analyzing primary sources, making arguments and understanding change and continuity over time.

“I chose APUSH because I wanted to challenge myself with harder coursework, but ended up enjoying a lot of the discussion we had in class since few people took it. I developed a much more nuanced view of politics, especially as class discussions often involve comparisons of ideology without a notion of "who's right" and "who isn't."

-Magnus Yin, 12

Homework Per Night: 15-30 Mins

Challenge Level: 7/10

National Exam Pass Rate: 73.7%

AP World History

(Zoey Lin)

AP World History is a course offered to juniors and seniors that explores global interactions, systems and cultures from ancient times to the present. The course emphasizes historical thinking skills such as comparing societies, analyzing cause and effect and evaluating continuity and change over time across different regions of the world.

“My favorite part of the class was our field trip to the botanical garden and the art museum because it connected what we learned in class to my own community. The class helped me realize that I was passionate about understanding how history has shaped human experiences in our environment.”

-Shuren Griffin, 12

Homework Per Night: 25-35 Mins

Challenge Level: 7/10

National Exam Pass Rate: 64.3%

Clayton Exam Pass Rate: 100%

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About the Contributors

Charlie Balestra, Business and Operations Editor-in-Chief

Pronouns: he/him Grade: 12 Years on staff: 4

What’s your go-to karaoke song? “California Girls” by Katy Perry

What’s a small thing that instantly makes your day better? Being polite and people saying thank you.

What are some of your favorite hobbies? Hockey, running, watching the Cardinals and the Blues.

What’s your favorite part of being on the newspaper staff? Getting to make a change in my community by serving up information for everyone.

Zoey Lin, Illustator

Pronouns: she/her Grade: 10 Years on staff: 1

What’s your go-to karaoke song? “Take On Me” by A-Ha

What’s a small thing that instantly makes your day better? I love spending time with my cat, and seeing her always makes me feel better.

What are some of your favorite hobbies? Drawing, especially based on books, reading, and making small crafts.

What’s your favorite part of being on the newspaper staff? This is my first time on the newspaper staff, but I am excited to help bring life to the work of our school’s talented writers by contributing my own skills. The collaborative element is the most rewarding thing, that feeling of being able to point and something you made as being part of something bigger than yourself.

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