<p>Hey everyone, I wanted to know if anyone has any advice on how to get a high grade on the AP American test and what to do during the school year in order to make that possible. Also if anyone can recommend any specific prep books to use for this AP test, that would be very appreciated. Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Just make sure you keep up with the textbook during the year. If you don't read it then, you're going to be in for a rude awakening come April lol. </p>
<p>I didn't do it, only for a few chapters, but taking notes as you read might help later on when you obviously don't have time to re-read the textbook. I got some AP US Barrons flashcards (sometimes not always perfect) that I used too. </p>
<p>As for prep books, I used the Kaplan one, which I thought was pretty good in terms of a review (not such great questions)... just a side note, I wouldn't reccomend the Kaplan SAT II book though, although maybe it's sometimes a good thing, it had WAY more information that came up on the (easier than AP) SAT II.</p>
<p>Read, read, read and remember what you read. That's all there is to it.</p>
<p>try to read at home, but if you can't, open your textbook in class and try to find the answers to the questions your teacher poses and discuss them</p>
<p>In additon to reading you have to be listen carefully when you have lectures. I used to read and be like what the hell did i just read? It was too boring. I listened really intently though in lectures. Also our teacher made us make 700 flashcards on the material and it helped a ton. I have a list, PM me if you want it. You can put the term into the flashcard generator at apstudent.com and then write it down. You'll remember it. The flashcards are what got me a five.</p>
<p>Princeton review was good for giving the basic facts you need to know (ie, good for cramming). I used that and a textbook (which i actually read) and i was fine. </p>
<p>Common sense is good too. A lot of the multiple choice can be reasoned out.</p>
<p>Readreadread.</p>
<p>Amsco + PR or AMSCO + rea= great reviews</p>
<p>In order to get a 5 you need to:</p>
<p>Do 10 Jumpingjacks
Punch you little brother/sister
Murder a squirrel
Memorize Beethoven's Fur Elise on Piano
Flush your AP History book down the toilet
Eat scrambled eggs
Make coffee inside of a toaster
Put a paper bag over your head
AND STUDY STudy STUDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>It worked for me, i got a 5 and i even breezed through the test like it was nothing.</p>
<p>The AMSCO book is a great help. More concise than your regular textbook that is for sure. Also work on essays and understand the rules for an APUSH DBQ.</p>
<p>is the APUSH DBQ that hard? Aren't DBQ questions based on documents? So wouldn't the essay be easy? How man essays are there for the APUSH test?</p>
<p>the catch for the APUSH DBQ is that it is based on the documents AND outside info. you need to synthesize info from the documents with evidence from that time period to back up your thesis statement. </p>
<p>and to the OP: I went to apnotes.net and copied all the stuff into word. then i deleted all the text except the italicized words. voila! a list of terms. printed that out, then went over the textbook with the terms. got a 5. (was a little nuts about the whoile studyin process but it WAS my first AP).</p>
<p>bump .</p>
<p>All these posts are good advice. My D had APUSH last year, got a 4 on the test. She also participated in many, many study groups throughout the year with other students in the class. The teacher had morning and afternoon study sessions daily for about 5 weeks before the test. She went to all of the afternoon sessions. She used the Princeton Review book along with tons of materials from class. She said reading and re-reading was key and then taking the class notes and synthesizing what she learned.</p>
<p>Forget textbooks and review books! "We</a> Didn't Start the Fire" is all you'll ever need!</p>
<p>Do all the old released exams if that helps you. I learned my sophmore year with AP Euro that it is the best way to know what info will be on the test (some topics they cover over and over). So for me, that was how I prepared. All the questions I got wrong I went back and read that section and learned it. Oh, and study the court cases!!!!! they really cover those. That's it off the top of my head.</p>
<p>Oh, just to note, I got a 5 on Euro and US Hist</p>
<p>Pay semi-attention in class, blitz studying the last few days and make sure you understand trends/concepts.</p>
<p>5 on US and Euro. Bwahaha</p>
<p>Stay on top of the reading and don't be afraid to purchase outside AP study texts to further enrich your curriculum once it comes closer to the test date. Look over questions from old APs too. I got a 5 on last year's test.</p>