Written by Madison McManus
Looking for an easy AP course to boost your GPA? Well, if you’ve been told that AP Human Geography, commonly referred to as AP HuGe, fits the bill, then you may need to check your sources. Although AP HuGe is certainly not as demanding as other Advanced Placement course offered at Ardrey Kell, students still need to analyze whether or not they’re interested in the material covered in the class or prepared for the level of coursework required before signing an AP Contract.
Many students, upon hearing the words “Human” and “Geography” grouped together, tend to wonder what topics are covered in AP HuGe and how they bridge the gap between these seemingly unrelated terms. Most students tend to focus on the “Geography” portion of the name and assume that the class primarily deals with maps. While cartography is a significant portion of the AP HuGe curriculum, it is only one piece of the puzzle. AP Human Geography discusses how elements of human culture have influenced the physical world and, inversely, how the environment has shaped human culture. So if you're interested in learning about topics like the different theories surrounding the diffusion of language, the impact that gender has on the development of nations, or the ethnic divide in Sri Lanka, AP Human Geography may just be the class for you.
In addition to analyzing your interest level when it comes to the AP HuGe curriculum, it is also important to note the amount of work required to be successful in the course. AP Human Geography pales in comparison to other AP courses in terms of the workload, as Key Issue Packets are the only homework assignments given to HuGe students. A Key Issue Packet is a compilation of questions derived from the chapter in the textbook that correspond with the unit being discussed in class, and the majority of the answers can be found directly within the assigned reading. The amount of questions per Key Issue can range from 4 to 56 and they can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours to complete depending on how thorough you are. Although they can seem tedious, Key Issue Packets actually become invaluable study guides during midterm review, and they make up the majority of the informal portion of your grade.
If the topics covered in AP Human Geography pique your interest and you believe that you can handle the workload, the final thing to consider before deciding to add AP HuGe to your Advanced Placement repertoire is the difficulty of the exams. While most students gain a solid understanding of the curriculum in class and seem to have a good grasp on the overarching themes within each chapter, many underperform on tests and end each quarter with an average much lower than they feel they deserve. While the Key Issue Packets provide a basic outline of each unit, the only way to truly succeed on the tests is to reread each chapter in the textbook, as AP HuGe exams tend to include questions regarding the seemingly minor details not covered in the KIPs. In addition to reviewing the assigned readings, it is also important to look over your class notes, as the textbook does not cover all of the items required for mastery of the AP HuGe curriculum.
Although AP Human Geography could by no means be considered easy, it is a wonderful introductory Advanced Placement class that serves as a stepping stone to higher-level AP coursework. If you put effort into synthesizing the course material and make sure to utilize the plethora of resources provided to you, you will be having college-level discussions about the political climate in South Sudan in no time.
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