As a multi-part series, Whitney Update explores what it’s like in each Advanced Placement, Honors and Dual Enrollment course to give students an accurate perspective.

With course preview day on Friday, Feb.1, there has been a lot of discussion in the sophomore class on what history class to take for the upcoming year, especially between AP U.S. History and Dual Enrollment U.S. History. APUSH is just like any other AP class offered on campus, with SAQ’s, MCQ’s, DBQ’s and an AP test at the end of the year, while DEUS is very different, being taught like a college class. Both are rigorous courses that come with many benefits, leaving a difficult choice for sophomores.

The actual content taught in both classes, though, are practically the same. However, APUSH does follow a strict curriculum and focuses on content that will appear on the AP exam, making it more restricted due to guidelines provided by the College Board. On the other hand, DEUS does not have an AP test, and content taught in the class is not approved by College Board, so content may differ slightly. And you do not have to focus on preparing for a test at the end of the year, instead working on a research paper that will count towards a large part of your grade.

“Dual enrollment provides you with some of the skills you need in college. For example using college research databases, using Canvas, which is a different management system instead of Schoology that many colleges in California use at a university level”, Mrs. Leah Seabrook Rocha said.

Depending on your plan after high school and what college you plan on attending, APUSH could be better for you than DEUS, or vice versa. If you plan on attending an Ivy League or private school, APUSH may be the class to take, while a student who plans on going to Sierra College or a UC would benefit more from DEUS. The college credits earned in DEUS are easily transferable in the state, but transferring to out of state schools might cause difficulties, and APUSH would probably be the better option.

“It really depends on the student themselves, their strengths and weaknesses. If you are someone who excels in timed writes, then AP is something you should consider. Even though you are not guaranteed college credit, you do get a grade bump. The course is the most challenging and looks good for elite schools such as private or Ivy Leagues” Mr. Tony Bannister said.

“I personally am looking forward to taking Dual enrollment next year since you can automatically get college credit which is a huge plus and I get to stay with my favorite amazing teacher Mrs. Seabrook, also it sounds pretty cool to be a high school and college student all at the same time”, Daniel Pasion said.

On the other hand…

“I’m going to do APUSH because it gives me a GPA bump and it’s more challenging than Dual enrollment, and I feel like it would look better to colleges,” Emilyn Kong said. 

Both courses are challenging, really depending on your personal preferences and goals, strengths and weaknesses, and which one would benefit you more in the long run after high school. Taking both classes require a good amount of dedication and time per night for homework and studying. So if you are good with time management and completing a ton of homework then these classes are for you.