<p>I'm taking APUSH 10th grade, and I'm really nervous. I would like to get a four or more on the exam. How would I get this? Freshman yr I have a really easy teacher, and I have a 100 average in class now, so this is a huge transition for me. Thanks!</p>
<p>Lemme get back to you in July once I get my score back so I know if this advice is worth anything or not haha. I took APUSH this past year and got an A in the class and if I had to guess, I’d guess I at least got a 4 (possibly 5, but I don’t want to jinx it). </p>
<p>Personally, what worked for me was reading the textbook and looking up note outlines online. Everyone who didn’t read the textbook in my class didn’t do well in the class/probably didn’t do as well on the exam. </p>
<p>Practice writing the essays. You have to learn how to write good DBQs and FRQs since they count for a good proportion of your score. Basically, if you write an essay with a lot of names, events, and laws crammed in, you’ll do well. If you just dance around what you’re trying to say and don’t actually spell it out, you won’t do as well.</p>
<p>Practice the MC part too. You need to be able to answer all the questions without completely rushing through. </p>
<p>Get a good review book to supplement your textbook. I worked through AMSCO throughout the year (which helped me in the class too), and then went through it along with Crash Course a couple weeks before the exam. </p>
<p>At least know something about every time period going into the exam. You don’t know what’ll be on the exam, so it’s best to be prepared for anything. Basically, I found that if I knew even just a few facts about one period, I could BS the essay well enough. </p>
<p>Then again, I’ve heard of people on here just using a review book to self-study and cram right before the exam and did fine, so y’know, whatever works. These are my tips for doing well in the class overall; it just so happened that it really prepared me for the exam too.</p>
<p>Good luck. It’s a good class. Since they’ve changed the curriculum for next year, I can’t really give you much advice as far as the new stuff goes. Just work through it the best you can.</p>
<p>@CE527M Hey its way past July and I was wondering how your exam went? Thanks so much for your advice!</p>
<p>I have to agree with what CE527M said about writing essays. It is essential that you be able to take subject throughout American History (be it a person, an organization, an event, a statement or a combination of these) and write about it, extensively and in detail, from an analytical stand point, meaning that your personal opinions are not wanted for the most part (take AP English Language for that). Hopefully you will have more than enough practice writing sessions in class so that by May you will be completely prepared, but if you feel like you could use more practice, just search for previous exam prompts on the internet, set a timer for 30 minutes (or 45 minutes for DBQs) and start writing as much as you can, as well as you can. Don’t overload yourself, but review the history as needed, preferably in chronological order (at first) as not to confuse yourself. When it comes to essays in AP U.S. History, knowing the history is over 75% of the battle. The remaining challenge is simply articulating the information in an organized manner. </p>
<p>For the first half of the school year (assuming this is a year-long class for you), don’t worry quite as much about the essays as you do about actually learning and remembering the history (people, places, events, actions, consequences, etc.). And towards the end of the year, as the test approaches, be sure to spend more time reviewing the material you covered at the beginning of the year than the material you covered most recently (this helped me, at least). </p>
<p>As far as the multiple choice section ought be concerned, I’ll repeat myself again: just know the history. Generally if you covered the topic at least once, it will be easy to rule out a few answers immediately, and if you absolutely have to, just guess from there. The multiple choice section is important, but the essays are far more so, so with this in mind, try to prioritize accordingly in your preparation for the exam.</p>
<p>As tempting as you may find it to do otherwise, just read the textbook. There was a substantial difference in my class between those who actually read it (thankfully I was incorporated in this group), and those who chose either to “Spark Note” the main points or who simply did not study outside of class (the latter obviously being the sunken half of the ship). </p>
<p>This class and exam definitely weren’t easy, but if you approach them wisely, intelligently and with a plan to succeed, you’ll be just fine. The most important part of this whole process is that you don’t break down or panic, because you’d be doing these things for no good reason and wasting time that you could be using to improve your chances of succeeding. I’d never taken an AP class or exam before AP U.S. History (alongside two other APs the same year), and for a while I feared greatly for the unknown, but in the end my confidence escalated and I pulled off a 5 on the exam in May. Just work with an intent to succeed and you’ll almost certainly do well. Good luck!</p>