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APUSH scoring breakdown?

Hi! I'm a junior studying for the APUSH exam, and I was wondering if anyone could explain how the exam is scored? Like, what's the breakdown between multiple-choice, short-answer, and essays? Any info would be helpful, thanks :)

2 years ago

Hi there! I'd be happy to break down the APUSH (AP US History) exam scoring for you. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, a document-based question (DBQ), and a long essay question (LEQ).

1. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs): This section consists of 55 questions, and you'll have 55 minutes to complete it. This section accounts for 40% of your total exam score.

2. Short-answer questions (SAQs): You'll be given 40 minutes to answer four short-answer questions. This section contributes 20% to your total exam score.

3. Document-based question (DBQ): You will have 60 minutes to analyze given documents and use them to support your response to a specific question. This essay makes up 25% of your overall exam score.

4. Long essay question (LEQ): You will have a choice between two prompts, and you'll have 40 minutes to answer one of them. This essay represents 15% of your total exam score.

After you've completed all parts of the exam, your raw score will be calculated from the MCQs, SAQs, DBQ, and LEQ sections. This raw score will then be converted into a scaled score, ranging from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. In general, a score of 3 or higher is considered passing and may qualify you for college credit, but this varies depending on the college or university.

Remember to practice using official College Board materials and focus on improving your historical analytical skills, time management, and essay-writing abilities. Best of luck with your APUSH exam preparation!

2 years ago

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