I plan on self-studying ap world history, but can I do so with just a prep book? If not, can you recommend me some textbooks? Thanks in advance :)</p>
I would suggest you get supplemental material if you are studying world history from just a prep book. But if you are self-studying, I guess Barron’s would be best because they are known for cramming information into their books. You might need a textbook for the essays though, although it’s possible that you won’t, but if you really want a textbook, in my class we used “The Earth and Its Peoples” by Richard Bulliet. It’s really wordy, but I loved it. Such a great textbook.</p>
Although honestly, you could probably get by without a textbook. But if you are genuinely interested in world history get a textbook lol.</p>
I wouldn’t recommend it. I REALLY wouldn’t recommend it. </p>
I personally used World Civilizations, by Stearns.</p>
You really need to completely read the book though.</p>
Read regular history books, too, and watch the History channel when something pertaining is on. That’s what I have been doing for years, and it helped me endlessly. Also, have you not taken any world history class at all? If not, yeah, pick up a textbook, it’ll definitely help. Ah, can’t remember mine… it was orange…</p>
Actually, Stearns is a complete pain to read. We used that and Ways of the World (by Strayer), and overall Strayer was much more interesting.</p>
You only need a prepbook (Barrons) to succeed.</p>
My class used Stearns and it was a terrible read – the text was obscure and the wording awkward. I used Barrons and my friends used Princeton Review. Both are great at condensing information.</p>
Hi, I took APWH before, I recommend you use a prep book, but if you need a textbook, PM me and I can give you the ebook for the Stearns 5th edition book if you want it. I’ll also give you an official exam or two if you want it. My class used the Stearns book, we took notes on the entire book and sometimes but not often we had quizzes/tests on it.</p>
Another tip, if you want a 5, you need to practice writing the essays. I took several practice tests including three official exams but I didn’t do so well on the essays so I got a 4.</p>
I think self-studying WHAP is definitely reasonable. I hear good things about Barrons - my class used World Civilizations by Stearns and it was a pain to read, especially if getting a 5 on the exam is your only real goal.</p>
Our class used Traditions and Encounters by Bentley, it was a great textbook, very good at talking about overarching themes IMO. We also occasionally read passages from the Bulliet book mentioned above, but I felt it was too detailed and awkward. You could probably get by with a prep book (I used PR) but to really feel “safe” for the essays I recommend a textbook.</p>
Want to self-study for World History?
Two Words: PRINCETON REVIEW.
I haven’t received my test scores yet, but honestly, if I don’t get a 5 i’ll be shocked. Technically, I didn’t self-study, I had AP World History as a class, but my teacher wasn’t very good. We only did one practice essay (a DBQ) the entire year. She was obsessed with DBQ’s, but never fully explained the other essays. Plus, we never had tests and everyone slept during her class because she was soooo boring. So, in December 2009, I bought the Princeton Review book and began reading it. I also read about 400 pages of the in class history book “The Earth and Its Peoples”. Anyway, a week or two before the test, the teacher told us to get 5 steps to a 5 for World History. I didn’t. Some of my friends bought it, and they said it was poorly written and vague. I read the Princeton Review, highlighted it, and outlined it in my own notebook. Honestly, just by doing that, I felt over prepared when I took the AP exam. Good Luck!</p>
^ PR is too brief for self-studiers. Perhaps use PR as a guide for the essay writing and a very general, night-before review, but you really have to use Barrons for the info.</p>
I read the textbook The Earths and Its Peoples: A Global History by Bulliet and I like the book since its great amount of details prepare me well for the AP exam.</p>
The study guide I used to prepare for the AP exam was Princeton Review. I absolutely hate the study guide. It was too concise and its writing style was too casual. I felt condescended by the author when I read it. When I took the AP World History Exam, the textbook helped me more than did the PR study guide, especially in the Free Response section.</p>
The textbook was pretty good, but I actually like the the casual writing style in PR. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. But I think the PR practice tests were helpful</p>
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I guess so since I’m a person who likes a neutral and informative writing style and that may be the reason why I hate the study guide, but I do find the PR practice tests helpful since it actually does reflect the actual AP Exam.</p>
I self studied world two months before the exam and only used barrons. Got a five. Use barrons.</p>
Isn’t Barron’s a bit too much?</p>
If you’re talking about price, I do not think so.
If you’re talking about the amount of information, well, you need a lot of information for the Free Response.</p>
<p>My teacher recomended Princeton review to all of us and he had us study it all through out the year.But I also own ap express world history (short and sweet) or Barron’s apwh (a lot of details awesome for essays)</p>
<p>Hey, i’m self-studying APWH as well, and I got both PR and Barrons. Both are good, i have been using PR a little more though because i just happen to like it more for some reason. Perhaps it is the way the info is organized, but then again, this is totally personal. Also, if you haven’t gotten a book yet, i probably wouldn’t go out and get one now… the exam is in less than a week (i don’t care how much of a genius you are lol).</p>