AP Economics Class Reviews

by Students and Parents

[ Return to the AP Internet Classes Homepage ]

[ Return to the PA Homeschoolers Homepage ]

Korynne's Review posted by Korynne Bolt on August 08 2008 at 21:21:23

Dr. Richman's Econ course is a great preparation for the AP exam; students should be aware that they will get out of it what they put into it. Most of the work is self-directed, and while your point-earning and class ranking is motivating, it takes a lot of personal initiative to really be prepared for the exam. The games were particularly fun, and I learned a ton, not just theoretical economics but a lot about how our society works and practical applications of economic studies. The course materials were very thorough and coherent. Dr. Richman's essay comments were very helpful. I'd highly recommend this class to students who are prepared to work hard and go beyond the class requirements to ensure they retain the material.

AP Econ posted by Nathan Oberholtzer on August 07 2008 at 16:11:19

This was a really fun course to take. The material we used was very understandable, and the concepts flowed together very well. All the paper writing, and the conversations following them, was extremely useful for the exam, and it was also a lot of fun throughout the year.

The economics games that Dr. Richman designs are also a lot of fun, as they help to reinforce some of the ideas we learned about, but it allowed for some extra fun.

I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wants to get some college credits, as it makes a lot of sense and isn't nearly as difficult to comprehend as a lot of other AP courses, and besides, it was a lot of fun.

Recommended posted by Andrew Bowersox on May 16 2008 at 13:36:19

I found Dr. Richman's AP Macroeconomics course to be very worthwhile. It can certainly be difficult and demanding at times but I found it to be manageable and ultimately successful in teaching me a lot about economics. Although it is too early to say for sure (as I do not have my grades back yet) I felt very prepared for the AP test that I took at my local high school for college credit. I would say to give this class a try.

Excellent Economics Course posted by Jessie Koehn on May 16 2008 at 11:13:57

Dr. Richman's AP Econ course is rigorous and wonderful preparation for the AP Exam.

The games are time-consuming if you want to do well. However, they are definitely fun. I enjoyed each one immensely and they helped me learn more about Economics.

I would definitely recommend this course to any student with a mild interest in Economics who is willing to work hard. I actually took the course just because I wanted to take an AP course and I hadn't taken Economics yet in high school. However, I learned so much and although I sometimes got frustrated, I'm really glad I took this class.

The Class: How It Was. posted by Michael Casamassa on May 15 2008 at 13:04:34

I liked it. It was hard and sometimes frustrating, but hey, that's what a course should be. I learned much and understand economics better than I ever have before. Hope I scored high on the exam. It was fun, especially. My younger siblings are already looking forward to this course.

Sincerely, Michael Casamassa

A Fun and Interesting Way to Learn About Macroeconomics posted by Kyle Baer on July 11 2007 at 18:08:03

This class went above and beyond my shallow expectations. The class fully prepared me for the AP exam and I had a blast while taking it. Dr. Richman not only teaches you he interacts with you and engages you with the eco games. Even writing the essays was fun and interesting. I enjoyed the class so much that I actually changed my career choice and I decided to study business in college. Thank You Dr. Richman for making this class enjoyable, interesting, and profitable.

Excellent course, but time consuming posted by Ian Sturdy on July 05 2007 at 11:05:15

I came into this course with a fair background in economics from reading and listening to the TT lectures used in the course, but no previous academic economics work. I found that the course did a very good job both of teaching the material and of preparing me for the AP exam, due to the latter-half emphasis on doing AP free response questions.

I would estimate that I normally spent 1.5-2 hours on the class, but that could nearly double during some of the more time intensive games. On the other hand, one could probably do very well in the games (and certainly very well in the course) not spending so much time on the games.

Although the FRQs were probably most helpful, I particularly liked the earlier essays. They really got me to think about economics in a more involved and applied fashion than the AP work.

I would recommend this course to all students who have the time, and if you are remotely interested in economics finding the time would be well worth it.

This class is excellent! posted by Debbie Beihl on May 25 2007 at 15:30:19

I felt like this course did an excellent job preparing me for the AP Exam.

I'm not sure how many hours of work I put into this course... Probably 3-6 hours a week.

Some of the games were really fun! But I found the essays that we wrote from real AP Exams (during the second half of the course) to be extremely valuable and helpful.

This course did enhance my interest in economics.

The WWWBoard was very active. There were interesting discussions there. This class has the most active WWWBoard of any class I've taken from PA Homeschoolers.

A diligent student who wants to learn would do well in this class. I would highly recommend this course to other students!

It's break, I'm lazy - I'm using the list and not coming up with a proper title, so sue me. ;-) posted by Laura Webb on May 24 2007 at 17:41:55

AP Econ posted by Benjamin Cahill on May 21 2007 at 12:58:27

This is an excellent class for anyone with a least some desire to study economics. Dr. Richman does an excellent job offering a course that provides an in-depth study of economics. What I liked most about this class was both the practical applications, where economic principles were used to evaluate current issues, and the games which provided a fun way to learn basic economic principles and then see them in action. I also felt that the class prepared me fully for the AP exam without being overly time intensive. If you are looking for a class that will provide you with useful knowledge without overloading your schedule, this is the class for you!

An outstanding course that is necessary for any high school student! posted by Katelin Dutill on May 19 2007 at 12:40:37

The choice to take this class was, undeniably, one of the best choices I made last summer. Prior to this course, I had very little economic understanding of any sort – and I was (and still am) not a “math girl.” However, within two weeks or so of beginning the course, I quickly learned many things – including economic terms and how to read and draw graphs.

In the first half of the course we focused on learning the basics of economics (supply, demand, inflation, unemployment, etc) and to that end we listened to a lecture each week by Professor Timothy Taylor and read a chapter in our textbook. Each lecture and chapter were accompanied by a quiz, and we were also required to do daily quiz questions each weekday. An essay was due almost every week and topics ranged from “great economists” to “current events” (offshoring, minimum wage, etc) to “lousy economists.”

The second half of the course was intense but provided us with excellent exam preparation. We continued with our lecture and chapter per week, but started to write two essays per week. The topics of these essays were a bit different – they were essays from actual or practice Macroeconomic exams. While many essays weren’t easy (I clearly remember one or two IM conversations with a classmate in which we were desperately trying to figure out what a certain graph looked like) I learned so much through them and felt very prepared for the exam.

Of course, this review would be incomplete without mentioning the economic games that we played. Each game is designed by Dr. Richman to teach various economic concepts (such as comparative advantage and exchange rates) and I definitely had fun with these games. Two of them are “team games” and both of my teams were made up of smart and fun-loving classmates. In fact, the games and the course itself fascinated me to the point that my younger sister got rather tired of all my dinner-time economic chatter.

Last but not least, Dr. Richman is a very good teacher. The scope and sequence of the course is outstanding and he demands excellence from each one of us. While I did review heavily for the actual AP exam, I felt very prepared going into it. Since I’ve completed the course, I feel like I have an excellent understanding of the economy and I’m better able to evaluate political platforms from a merely economic standpoint.

In sum, I would highly recommend this course to every student. What you learn will help you throughout all of life and, as you learn it, you’ll have an enjoyable time.

Good luck!

A Must-Take for Any High School Student! posted by Stephen Green on February 25 2007 at 01:07:34

This course could not have prepared me for the AP exam any better. The range of study was incredibly in-depth and Dr. Richman took care to teach us the subjects and topics necessary to do well on the exam without dwelling on antiquated ideas or unrelated issues. If we had questions about anything we could contact Dr. Richman through a variety of ways and receive on-on-one teaching-- the conversations were then posted online for all classmates to see.

To my surprise, my interest in economics grew throughout the year as I studied more. Instead of submitting assignments and doing reading just to get a decent grade, I actually began to look forward to each next assignment because I found the topic so fascinating! The variety of work as well as the fact it is intrinsically interesting both served to extensively educate me as well as provide a fun atmosphere to work in.

This class is an absolute necessity for all high school students! The prevalence of economic principles in our everyday life makes it inherently useful to any and all who study it. Furthermore, chances are you won't find a better Macroeconomics course anywhere else!

A very good class posted by Andrew Hou on July 06 2006 at 24:44:52

This is not my first AP course, so I kind of knew what to expect. And the class meeted almost all of my expectations. There was quite a lot of work involved, mainly text book writing and essay writing. While there was a lot, there was not an un-doable amount. I normally put in about 7-8 hours a week. The work that I did was all very effective, and it helped me prep for the exam very well. The essays we wrote were all graded and commented on by the teacher, though I felt that the comments given by the teacher could have been more explanatory in why I got something wrong. I understood what was right, but not why I was wrong.

In prepping for the exam, the quiz questions and essays from actual AP exams were especially helpful. The essay questions made me think into how to use the economic principles that I learned, and doing so firmly rooted them into my mind. All of this extra knowledge definitely made me more interested in economics.

Working with other students in the games and studying was very helpful, we were able to feed off of each other's understandings and ideas. I recommend this class for anyone who has even a mild interest in economics, is not averted to study, and loves to learn.

Go For It! posted by Sarah Keckler on May 26 2006 at 15:03:04

This was my first AP course and it fulfilled all my expectations. I hoped for a course that would teach me new concepts, prepare me for the AP exam, and help me when confused. I found all these, and more in this course. I generally spent from one to two hours a day studying, answering quizzes, and writing essay assignments. The econmics games that we played were invaluable in that we had the opportunity to see how the concepts applied to real life- although simulated- situations. I found the essays in the second half of the course very helpful on the AP exam. The essay questions were taken from past exams and they were very similar to the questions I answered on the real exam. I recommend this course to those who are willing to study, improve their work, and try to understand how the economic concepts work in real life.

Wonderful! posted by Pearl Young on May 25 2006 at 12:33:09

This is my third year of AP exam and my fifth course.

Dr. Richman has and continues to put in much effort to make this course successful. He gives helpful comments to all our essays, and posts exemplary essays as examples. He answers questions promptly and encourages us to learn via his games.

Dr. Richman makes himself available on AIM four nights a week. I have this venue extremely helpful. I was able to receive one-on-one help on aspects of the course that seemed difficult to me. Through our "conversations," I became more confident in my understanding of economics.

This class requires a lot of interaction with classmates via the daily "economics games." Though at first these seemed time-consuming, they helped me to understand economic concepts in a fun manner. By forcing the students to convert the theory into practice, the games help reinforce understanding of basic economic concepts.

By the end of this course, I feel that I have a stronger appreciation for economics and the business world. Money plays a fundamental role in today's global world and particularly in American culture; this class provides a basic foundation to understand this.

My classmates always sought to help and encourage one another via the class message board. We posted questions and misunderstandings on the board and then exchanged our own discoveries. In addition, the teacher posted his "chats" with other students, so we were able to benefit from others' discussions.

To excel in this class requires a drive to understand the material. Because each new concepts builds on previous ones, it is important to study consistently and find answers to your questions.

Worth the Effort! posted by Benjamin Frear on May 25 2006 at 10:51:59

After taking this AP online course, I have an enhanced knowledge of economics. I can better understand economic issues discussed in newspapers, and detect fallicies in someone's argument. I also was very thankful for how well I was prepared for the AP exam. There were very few issues that were dicussed on the test that we hadn't covered. Although there was a lot of work involved in the class--I spent at least 10 hours a week completing assignments--I feel that the time spent was well worth it.

Take this course! by Jeremiah Blocki, May 15 2005 at 21:27:20

Did you feel the course prepared you for the AP exam?

Yes! I felt extrememely well prepared for the AP Macro Economics exam. Every topic that came up was somthing that I had encountered before (writing practice essays or doing short answer questions). Also with just an extra week of studying I was able to prepare for the AP Micro Economics exam... for which I also felt well prepared.

How many hours of work per day or per week did you generally put into the course?

Personally, I tend to do work in blocks. So I might all of my work for the week on Monday and then only log in to make my games moves (or discuss the game moves with teamates). However, If I had to estimate how much time I spent on average I would guess about 90 minutes per day.

Are there any particularly favorite assignments that you found especially valuable?

During the course of the school year we played many games to illustrate key economic concepts. The 'Guns and Butter' game really helped to clarify the concept of 'comparitive advantage' while the 'International Growth Game' helped illustrate how to fix a recession or halt inflation using the Aggregate Supply/Aggregate Demand model.

Did the course enhance your interest in the subject?

Yes!

Did you find your communications with other students to be interesting or valuable?

Yes, you tend to chat with many students - especially strategizing with teamates about today's game move. I felt like I 'got to know' many students who I haven't met yet.

What sort of student would do well in this course?

Self motivated, willing to work hard

Would you recommend this course to other students (if they are willing to work hard!)?

Definitely!

Excellent Course Recommended for All by Christopher Green, May 25 2005 at 10:14:40

When my brother, six years my elder, took AP Economics with Dr. Richman, I was terribly envious. He had such fun selling veggie burgers and meatie burgers, conquering enemies, and doing other things which were for more intersting and exciting than long division. Six years later, I eagerly signed up for the course myself. I was not disappointed.

I recommend economics to all students, since economics is one of the very core aspects of our lives. We pay for AP classes, we flip burgers for cash, we save in banks, invest in bonds, exchange currencies to travel abroad. It is almost impossible to go a single day without encounting economics in some form or another -- and in its most basic study, "the study of choice between scarce goods" economics is present every moment of our lives; time is scarce, and how you allocate your time is an economic choice.

Economics is particularly useful for high school students, since it is then that students begin to gain a stronger grasp of the value of money as they get their first job, pay for car insurance, and actually have their own money to use. It the course is an invaluable preparation for post-high school life, whether in gaining a better understanding of college loans or what factors people consider when picking a job.

Will an economics class transform your life? Probably not. But it will make you look at the world in a new way, grant you a better understanding of personal, national, and global use of money.

I cannot think of a better class than Dr. Richman's for economics; the textbook and lectures are great, his comments are insightful, And above all, the games are both highly educational and great fun. Whether you are a future economist or starving artist, destined to be a business owner or world-class equestrian, this is a class that you must not miss.

Games of Success by Franklin Pride, June 01 2005 at 13:27:45

Whether it is the quiz questions, the practice test, or the many games, this class gets you prepared for the AP test.

The business game was my favorite. It was a simulation of a simple burger business. You compete with students as you sell your burgers at prices and numbers you choose. It's your choice which wholesaler you buy from, (wholesalers are players as well) your choice as to how high or low a price you have, your choice as to advertising, and your choice as to expansions to your store. It solidified the principles of supply and demand for everyone.

Economics--The Effects Continue by Kirstin Rissing, June 08 2005 at 16:15:21

I was just thanking you for a wonderful year. I didn't know that Economics could be as fascinating as it has become for me. Well I was at the letter I thought I would tell you of an amusing story that occurred about two days ago for me. My family and I were visiting parts of Europe(Sweden and France) and I just got back today. When I got in the de Gaul airport and was waiting for the flight I found a shop which was selling magazines and news papers which is probably very basic near terminals but I found an issue of "The Economist" which I bought for the flight back. I really enjoyed reading the articles and was excited at how much I felt that I knew about the articles. I understand that homeschoolers are typically not into the popular culture and I certainly am never interested in it but I did find it amusing that on the plane there were other teen agers and people in their midtwenties reading what I would think are "popular magazines" and I was reading the Economist. Also, while in Sweden I visited the Noble Museum and watched their videos/interviews with several Noble prize winners two of which were Economics winners. Unfortunately, I never saw a Milton Friedman interview but I understood what policies they were talking about. So thanks for a great year. And, especially, for the ability to understand what some of the ideas of Economics are.

I'm just going to add this. I do a lot of creative writng and that is always fun. But I reread some of the stuff I wrote recently and noticed that I was mentioning the different schools of economics, tarriffs, the results of inflation vs unemployment, ectera. I suddenly realized how much Economics has seeped through into my subconscious and even when I'm not trying to write about Economics. It does make my story make more sense. :)