Hey everyone, I'm planning to take AP US History next year and I'm curious about how much time I should allocate for the exam. Can anyone share their experiences or any tips on how to manage time during the test? Thanks in advance!
The AP US History (APUSH) exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long, divided into two main sections: multiple-choice/short-answer and free-response. Here's a breakdown of the timing for each section:
1. Section I: Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer Questions
- Part A: 55 multiple-choice questions in 55 minutes (40% of total score)
- Part B: 3 short-answer questions in 40 minutes (20% of total score)
2. Section II: Free-Response Questions
- Part A: Document-Based Question (DBQ) in 60 minutes, including a 15-minute reading period (25% of total score)
- Part B: Long Essay Question (LEQ) in 40 minutes (15% of total score)
To manage your time effectively during the exam, be sure to practice with sample questions and timed exam sections to get a feel for the pace. For the multiple-choice section, aim to spend no more than 1 minute per question, and for the short-answer questions, allocate around 13 minutes per question. Utilize the 15-minute reading period in the DBQ section to carefully analyze the documents, and make sure to leave sufficient time to plan and write your essay for both the DBQ and LEQ. Remember, practice is key to feeling comfortable with the timing, so taking timed practice exams will help you better prepare for the actual test. Good luck!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.