The AP U.S. History exam lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes. It consists of 55 multiple choice questions, 4 short answer questions, and 2 essays. To score a 5 on the exam, start US History preparing for the Advanced Placement exam as early as possible by following these 6 steps.
Create a Study Plan
Get out your planner and start planning. Determine what you need to study, when you’re going to study, and how you’re going to study. First, analyze your weaknesses. Are there any time periods you know better than others? Are there themes on which you need to focus?
Then, decide how you learn best. Maybe you need to watch videos, listen to recorded lectures, or teach a family member or friend. Write down when you’ll study and what you’ll study, and follow through. With as much information as you need to cover, you need to pace yourself and stay on top of your studies.
Choose Review Materials
Improve your study time with the best materials. Look for the best study guides and review books. Gather your class notes, and exchange notes with classmates. And of course, don’t forget about your textbook.
Study Themes
Remember that you shouldn’t just memorize dates and facts. Review overarching themes throughout the periods. Look for social and political trends. Then, connect events from different historical eras.
Memorize with Flashcards
When it comes to memorizing dates and facts, consider using flashcards. Make flashcards you can use whenever and wherever you have time to review the information. Also, flashcards allow you to track vocabulary or events on which you should focus.
Complete Practice Tests
Practice tests help familiarize you with the exam’s structure. The more practice tests that you take, the better prepared you’ll be to face similar question formats. And since there’s a limited number of events that the test can cover, the practice tests will help you review for the exam, too.
As a student in US History preparing for the Advanced Placement exam, it’s especially important to practice the essays. Get a feel for the types of prompts and how you can attack them within the given time.
Review Test-Taking Strategies
Do you consider yourself a good test taker? If not, it’s time to brush up on your test-taking strategies. This could include eliminating answers you know are wrong or skipping difficult questions. Then when you take the test, make sure that you’re well rested, well fed, and well dressed (in layers).
When enrolled in US History preparing for the Advanced Placement exam, start early. There’s a lot of information to cover. Look through your textbook. There’s probably a lot of reading that you need to do. Pace yourself and start early. Continue to study throughout the duration of the course, so you’re ready to go when it comes to test day.
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