<p>Right after reading this book i took the college board practice exam given out and i finished 25 min early and felt that the exact questions and answers are covered in the book(i got a 63 Raw score which is what the book predicted if i read it!). I believe that this book is focused on ONE practice test that was given out which could mean that the test i took was not a predictor of my real score with no further studying</p>
<p>Dont get me wrong the book did help me memorize some more themes and topics but i believe that this alone will not guarantee a 4 or 5 as the book predicted if read.</p>
<p>Share your thoughts</p>
<p>no no no… After reading the book and taking the tests i realized that the answers were worded EXACTLY the same as the info in the book. There is no way that a single book can have the exact same wording as 50+ questions from a college board test…</p>
<p>I’m taking the SAT II US History test on Saturday partly for the score and partly to prepare for the APUSH exam. I have been using Crash Course to review for both tests. I just took the two practice SAT II US History tests in the CB’s Official Study Guide. I totally aced both tests. So two thumbs way up for Crash Course.</p>
<p>thanks for your posts old hickory. Im glad that i know i didnt waste my time reading the book, however the facts are based off one practice test.</p>
<p>The test writers tend to be consistent in the way they word the test questions and answer choices. Only thing for you to do is to take another practice test or two and see how Crash Course performs for you on those.</p>
<p>hmm i agree to a certain extent. However, for me to finish 25 min early is very unusual bc i normally finish with 1 min to spare.</p>
<p>Be happy you did so well. Immortalix is right. There are only so many ways to say that the Compromise of 1850 enacted a strict fugitive slave law or that Marbury v. Madison established judicial review. My teacher gave us the 2001 Released Exam earlier this week. I finished early and got 64 right - yea! Crash Course was a big help.</p>
<p>Actually the crash course just prepares the outlines based on how they ask the questions. Notice the tips which are based off groups of questions not just one. Also we took a practice exam in her class and I probably got a 5 by just reading the book twice. Also the MC, FRQs and DBQ were all from different exams and the FRQ’s and DBQ’s werent even on the released ones which are what the crash course is based off of the most. So ya you can use CC alone and easily get a 3 and more then likely get a 4.</p>
<p>ok i just took another practice test and i got 31 out of 40 right which is way better than i did before.</p>
<p>Even though the questions on the test i took were exactly similar i can see that CC really did help me on other aspects.</p>
<p>Maybe this will help. Our APUSH teacher always told us that each exam only has 6 - 8 new questions. All the rest are just variations of the same key points they have been asking over and over. My friend is using Crash Course to review and really likes it.</p>
<p>crash course saved me on the SAT II this weekend. I felt SO confident after finishing the exam. it’s SUCh a great book, I hope they make more!!!</p>
<p>may i ask which exam you’re taking to confirm? i felt exactly the same way and took the 2001 exam. if it’s the same one, we may have a problem with REA’s Crash Course. 
if not, we’re in good hands and well prepared for the exam :)</p>
<p>On FLVS’s AP Reviews, they have 3 real exams, although I’m not sure which years. I took 1 mid-way through reading CC and got 61/80, and I took another after I had read all of CC for the first time and I got a 64/80. </p>
<p>I haven’t taken the last one yet since I want to take it after I’m fully prepared, but CC is legit imo.</p>
<p>what’s FLVS’s AP Reviews?</p>
<p>for the record, I took the 2001 AP mock several weeks ago, after only having just gotten the book and read only the first few chapters, and got 58 right/18 wrong/4 skipped on the MC. OTOH, I had never gotten above a 7 on any of the DBQs/FRQs in his class all year, but my scores for the mock (graded by the same teacher) were 8 dbq/9 frq (the first and only 9 he ever gave this year!)/8 frq - and according to the teacher the difference was not any change in writing style but the quality and detail of the facts and history material i incorporated in my essay.</p>
<p>I noticed the same thing as the OP!</p>
<p>I got a question wrong about the Articles of Confederation on the 2006 released MC test.
Then I read the Crash Course… and the answer was explicitly stated under the AoC section!</p>
<p>okay, now i feel safe 
someone else took the 2006 released exam and did well. but i took the 2001 released exam and did well. these were two DIFFERENT exams. so the “based on one exam” theory is busted! </p>
<p>for the record, the book does claim to be based on SIX exams (see the intro) that were released, including the 2006 and 2001 exams. but still, the book did help CCers on TWO different exams (maybe 3 - I’d like to know which one the OP took) so as of now i’m not too worried :)</p>
<p>The based on one test theory is totally bogus. First, the book says it is based on the 6 released exams. Second, as my teacher constantly repeats the tests ask about the same key things over and over. And third, as several CCers have reported, CC performed really well on yesterday’s SAT II.</p>
<p>So what’s the general consensus: Crash Course fraud? Or can it really help you get a 5?</p>
<p>As of now, Crash Course seems to be a godsend when supplemented with AMSCO. We can only await to see what happens This Friday and whether or not to recommend it to next year’s junior class.</p>
<p>Could somebody tell me if there is any difference bw REA’s Crash Course and Sat II Subject Test: United States History ( by REA)?
Thank you.</p>