TEST PREP

Understanding AP Social Studies Exam Fundamentals: Tips and Strategies for Success

Earning a high score on an Advanced Placement® (AP®) exam can catapult you to college admissions success—it looks good on your application, can positively affect your GPA, and can even earn you college credit!

In this article, we'll delve into the fundamentals of several AP social studies tests from the College Board. While they differ in content, these exams share common key features, including scoring system and effective testing strategies. Although there are other AP social studies courses that may be available at your school, such as Human Geography, the tests outlined below are generally the most popular on high school campuses.

Scoring System

AP exams are scored on a scale from one to five, with five being the highest. The scoring breakdown is as follows:

5: Extremely well-qualified (equivalent to an A or A+)

4: Very well-qualified (ranges from a B to an A-)

3: Qualified (from a C to a B-)

2: Possibly qualified

1: Not recommended

Overview of AP Social Studies Exams

Each of the below AP social studies test types focuses on a unique set of themes. As you’ll see, while the content that you’ll need to learn will vary, the strategies that you’ll need to succeed are consistent

• AP U.S. History (APUSH) APUSH covers seven central themes: America's identity, work, trade, and technological advancements, geography and the environment, migration and settlement, politics and power, America in the world, and culture and society. The exam has 55 multiple-choice questions, 3 short-answer questions, one document-based question (DBQ), and a long essay.
• AP European History (APEH) and AP World History (APWH) Both exams emphasize cultural developments, governance, economic systems, human-environment interactions, technology, and societal structures. APEH focuses on Europe's interaction with the world, while APWH spans the above topics globally. Both exams feature 55 multiple-choice questions, 3 short-answer questions, one DBQ, and a long essay.
• AP Government and Politics (AP Gov) AP Gov explores topics including founding documents, political ideologies, citizen participation constitutionalism, liberty and order, competing policy-making interests, and methods of political analysis. This exam has 55 multiple-choice questions and 4 free-response questions.
• AP Economics (Macro and Micro) AP Economics exams, both Macro and Micro, explore topics like production, economic systems, and economic policies. While Macro focuses on the principles that apply to an economic system as a whole, Micro explores the principles that apply to the functions of individual economic decision-makers. Both exams have 60 multiple-choice questions and 3 free-response questions.

Preparing for Success

To excel on your AP social studies exams, you’ll need to demonstrate subject-matter expertise—and you’ll also need to deploy effective test-taking strategies specific to these AP exams.

As you’re preparing for each social studies test, pay close attention to time periods. Understand the specific time periods for each exam, focusing particularly on significant historical events such as conflicts and major social movements.

Practice chart and map analysis to look for trends, patterns, and relationships within image-based media.

When tackling the short-answer questions, provide factual answers supported by evidence from the provided sources. Use your allotted time wisely to brainstorm and organize your responses to be as clear and detailed as possible.

For document-based questions (DBQ) and long essays, craft a strong thesis statement based on the available evidence. Incorporate multiple perspectives and outside knowledge to support your argument effectively. Address a counterargument to demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the topic. Keep the counterargument concise and relevant so it serves to further strengthen your thesis.

Remember to check in with your school for any specific procedures related to AP exams and review your knowledge regularly to maximize your performance on exam day. You are already on your way to maximizing your AP test scores!

To learn more about effective AP social studies exam-taking strategies, check out our webinar!

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