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The AP US History exam is one of the most popular Advanced Placement exams administered by the College Board. It consists of two parts: Multiple Choice and Free Response. There are 80 multiple choice questions which count for 50% of the test. The other 50% is made up of two types of essays: standard and document-based (DBQ). Students answer two standard essays (55% of the Free Response section) and one DBQ (45%). Here are my top ten tips for doing well on the challenging AP US History exam.
1. Multiple Choice: Time and the Test Booklet
You have 55 minutes to answer 80 multiple choice questions which gives you about 40 seconds per question. Therefore, you need to use your time wisely answering the questions you know best first and eliminating obvious wrong answers as you go through. Don't be afraid to write on your test booklet to keep track. Mark through the answers you know are wrong. Clearly mark when you skip a question so you can return to it quickly before the end of the test.
2. Multiple Choice: Guessing and Points Deducted
Remember, an additional 1/4 of a point is deducted on the test for each wrong answer. For example, if you leave a question blank, your score is impacted by 1 point. However, if you make an incorrect guess, your score is reduced by 1 1/4 points. If you cannot eliminate any answers, it is better to leave the question blank. That being said, you should try not to leave more than 4-6 questions blank.
1. Multiple Choice: Time and the Test Booklet
You have 55 minutes to answer 80 multiple choice questions which gives you about 40 seconds per question. Therefore, you need to use your time wisely answering the questions you know best first and eliminating obvious wrong answers as you go through. Don't be afraid to write on your test booklet to keep track. Mark through the answers you know are wrong. Clearly mark when you skip a question so you can return to it quickly before the end of the test.
2. Multiple Choice: Guessing and Points Deducted
Remember, an additional 1/4 of a point is deducted on the test for each wrong answer. For example, if you leave a question blank, your score is impacted by 1 point. However, if you make an incorrect guess, your score is reduced by 1 1/4 points. If you cannot eliminate any answers, it is better to leave the question blank. That being said, you should try not to leave more than 4-6 questions blank.