Official 2011 AP US History Thread!

Thanks! My teacher said I’m one of his 5 hopefuls, even though I got a 3 on WH last year. Haha, talk about pressure! But I think I can do it because I get a 7 average in class.</p>

ya im also taking the test and im hoping for a 5. hopefully we can both get 5’s.</p>

An AP US History teacher here. Just found this thread and wanted to say good luck to everyone here! I’m hoping I’ve prepped my students enough for them all to get 4’s and 5’s and hope you all do too!</p>

@Phoenix Wright: Do you have any sort of idea or guess at what the DBQ might be on? I’ve heard a lot of different things, from the Gilded Age to Civil War/Reconstruction to the Progressive era. The only thing I’m worried about at this point are the essays as I’m pretty confident that I can score a 60+ on the MC.</p>

@Phoenix Wright: Thank you!</p>

My teacher’s wife is having her baby either tomorrow or Saturday (supposedly), so he’s going to be out until after the test. :/</p>

What about the FRQs? Can someone qualify my assertion that it can be on the Antebellum period even if that was 3 years go?</p>

^It is my impression that the first 3 FRQs are ALL pre-Civil War and the second 3 are ALL post-Civil War.</p>

^There are only 2 before the Civil War and 2 after. You pick one from each.</p>

^^Euro has 3 per part to pick from. US has only 2. </p>

I’d like to complain about how it’s so unfair, but from what I’ve heard, World History doesn’t even get to pick from anything. They get 3 essays and have to write all 3.</p>

@pi That’s why I got a 3 (plus the fact that I procrastinated and didn’t really study–don’t ever get Sparknotes)</p>

@Shimbo:</p>

Not only do I not know but I believe it would be irresponsible of me to guess and so the only thing I have told my students is “It’s not going to be on the Puritans”. My students have all done for me DBQs from the following four time periods that I assessed, graded, and gave feedback on:</p>

<li>Pre-1776
*1776-1865
*1865-1945
*1945-Onward</li>
</ul>

This was also how I divided the class units. </p>

It also helps to remember the criteria which you’re being graded on:</p>

*Your thesis
*Your historical analysis/use of the documents
*Your historical facts/outside knowledge
*Your style (spelling and grammar)</p>

I have found that by getting my students to remember these criteria and grade their own papers using a marking scheme similar to that used by the AP Board their essays have improved dramatically to the point where some of my students’ essays are far superior to the ‘exemplar’ essays that Collegeboard provides.</p>

Yeah, the “you-must-write-this-and-only-this-essay” was for World, and it was such a relief when we learned we have a choice on US. </p>

Thanks for the advice, Phoenix Wright!</p>

The topics I am concerned with are the Gilded Age, Reconstruction, and anything women & African-American related. It seems like almost every year at least one essay is women or African-American related…</p>

So I just spent all of today playing Pokemon when I’m still fuzzy on everything past 1960</p>

I have, like, the worst work ethic in the world -_-</p>

I used the grade calculator and decided a 5 will be easier than I thought. My studying has dropped accordingly :)</p>

Tenors: Thank God Playstation 3 Network is shutdown; otherwise, I would be playing zombies. -___-</p>

@joshmay94 I know, haha. Same here. I scored 63 on the 2006 MC and 68 on the 2008 MC, so I only need to average a 5 on the essays (even one 4 is ok) to get a 5 with at least 60 MC right, according to an average curve. I average a 7 in class, so I’m good (hopefully). I think the AP readers might even grade a little easier than my teacher. I’m focusing on all through Monday morning.</p>

^^^ the curve is a bit higher this year because there is no point deduction on mc.</p>

^ The curve would actually be lower, since more people would get a few more correct answers by way of guessing.</p>

They also are probably making adjustments to the scale for determining how many points equate to each score (1 through 5).</p>

Two things</p>

With the no penalty rule, I’m 200% that more even weight will be put on the essays.</p>

And two… I need pointers on how to write a strong DBQ.</p>