Score 5 on the AP World History Exam

Doing well on an AP exam allows you to receive college credit in high school. A 5 is the highest grade that you can get on the test.

Steps

  1. Sign up and begin the AP World History course offered by your school. If the course is not offered, you can still take the test, it just takes a lot more effort.
  2. Get interested in the subject! Read books on historical figures, time periods, etc. Even reading Historical Fiction books helps! Be sure to read about all areas, not just European or American history.
  3. Do well in class. Participate as much as possible, and put real effort into all of your work. Take notes, and be careful to focus on important information- textbooks can contain excess information that will not help you on the test.
  4. Practice writing Document-Based Essay Questions (DBQs) and pay attention to the feedback you get. Since you only have 10 minutes to read the documents and 40 minutes to write your answer, it's important to practice so you can write a DBQ within the 50 minute time limit.
  5. Register for the test. Some schools will automatically register you if you're taking the course. If you're not taking the course or your school does not do this, find out where and when to register for the test. If you are still not sure, ask your counselor for help.
  6. Buy an AP World History study guide as soon as possible, at least a full month before the test. Read it chapter by chapter, and take the chapter quizzes. If you find any problematic areas, pay special attention to them and read up on them. Quiz yourself after every section and make sure you understand the content. You don't really need to know specific items, so knowing time periods and regions is what you should focus on. Also, look up history guides and online help courses like Crash Course World History by John Green.
  7. Start taking practice tests, including essays. Take as many as possible by collaborating with your friends and using their review books. For the essays, use the tips given to you in the review book.
  8. Go in and take the test on the designated day (usually in mid-May). Don't be nervous because it is really easy to mess up if you're too anxious, and don't stress or cram. You should receive your test results by July.

Tips

  • There are three essays you will need to write: The Answer Document Based Questions for AP Tests, continuity and change over time (CCOT), and compare and contrast. Each of these essays has a unique grading system, and if you know it then you can get points without actually knowing anything. This is especially true for the DBQ.
  • Don't be too worried if you get a 60 or 70 percent on all of your practice multiple choice questions. You may be used to getting a 100 percent in class, but AP test questions are much harder. Also, if you do get a 60 or 70 percent, you are in the range to get a 5 still.
  • Look up and memorize Essay Rubrics until you fully understand Continuity and Change over time, DBQ, and Comparative Essays.
  • Look for underlying themes in history, and pay special attention to them all year. The essay questions are usually formulated around one of these themes.
  • If you can't afford a review book, try buying one secondhand or borrowing one from the library. They really are essential for success on the test.
  • Always try on the essays, even if you have almost no clue on the subject matter. The graders want to give you points, so just cram in a ton of information that is almost connected. BS-ing is your friend on this test.
  • The Princeton Review and Barron's are both great choices for your review book. They have good practice tests and tell you how to write essays. Sparknotes is not recommended if you are only using it and the book. If you do choose to review using Sparknotes, use another review site/book as well.
  • If you know absolutely nothing for one of the essays, try to come up with a thesis statement and think of things you might remember from the time period. Writing a thesis can get you a point when you really didn't know anything at all!
  • When studying, be familiar with the 5 major periods of history: The Foundations period (8000 BCE-600 CE), Regional and Transregional Interactions period (600-1450), Global Interactions period (1450-1750), Industrial and Global Integration period (1750-1900), and Accelerating Global Change/Realignments Period (1900-present). Organizing what you know into these blocks will help you get a firm command of world history, and is a much better way to conceptualize world history than simply memorizing facts.

Warnings

  • Never cram the day or weekend before as you cannot possibly memorize it all. Instead, space your studying out. Review what you have read periodically.
  • Don't stress out. This will hurt your performance on the test, especially during the essays. Try to study enough so you are confident in your abilities.
  • Always know what you are writing about. The instructors know when you're making things up.

Things You'll Need

  • AP World History Review book
  • 90 dollars to spend on the test (if your school does not pay for the exam for you)
  • A work ethic for doing many pages of Cornell Notes and chapters
  • An understanding of how complicated and frequent essays are

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