APUSH scoring advice

Hi all! So, I'm working on my APUSH skills, and I want to figure out how the scoring system works. Can anyone give me a quick breakdown of how the score is distributed and what I need to focus on to get a 5 on the exam? Thanks!

Hello! I'd be happy to break down the APUSH scoring system and provide some advice on how to aim for a 5 on the exam. The AP US History exam is divided into two main sections: multiple-choice and free-response.

1. Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) - 55 Questions (40% of the overall score): This section consists of stimulus-based questions with sets of questions based on primary or secondary sources. To excel in this section, you should work on improving your reading comprehension, historical thinking skills, and understanding of historical periods and themes. One tip is to practice eliminating wrong answer choices and using context clues from the question. Identifying a general time period to narrow down the possibilities is also a helpful strategy.

2. Free-Response Section (60% of the overall score): This section consists of three different types of questions:

a) Short Answer Questions (SAQs) - 3 Questions (20% of total score): For each SAQ, you'll answer two or three short prompts. To do well on SAQs, focus on mastering the ability to formulate succinct and clear responses while providing specific evidence. Practice extracting relevant information from provided sources and forming coherent arguments in a limited amount of time.

b) Document Based Question (DBQ) - 1 Question (25% of total score): The DBQ requires you to write an essay based on a given prompt, using a set of given documents/resources as evidence. In preparing for the DBQ, work on developing solid essay-writing skills, including thesis statements, contextualization, and effectively incorporating document analysis. Make sure to practice analyzing primary and secondary sources through the lens of the historical thinking skills.

c) Long Essay Question (LEQ) - 1 Question (15% of total score): You'll choose one out of three LEQ prompts requiring you to write an essay to assess your historical argumentation skills. Spend time understanding and organizing your thoughts on the prompt before writing. Practice supporting your thesis with concrete examples from various periods and themes.

To achieve a 5 on the exam, focus on your essay-writing skills and understanding of historical themes and their interconnections. Study different time periods in-depth and understand key events. Consistently practice MCQs and free-response questions under timed conditions to build familiarity with the exam format, and make sure to review the official AP scoring guidelines to understand what the graders are looking for in responses. Good luck!