AP World scores?

Out here trying to figure out how challenging the AP World History exam really is. On average, what scores do students usually get? And what does it take to bag a 5?

The AP World History exam has a reputation for one of the more challenging AP exams, primarily due to a large amount of content covered and the complexity of its free-response questions.

As for the scores, according to the College Board's 2020 data, 60.2% of students scored a 3 or higher on the AP World History test. Here is how the overall data breaks down:

- 5 : 8.8% of scores

- 4 : 18.6% of scores

- 3 : 32.8% of scores

- 2 : 23.5% of scores

- 1 : 16.3% of scores

So, you can see that five isn't an easy score to achieve here, but it’s not impossible either!

Scoring a 5 typically requires a comprehensive understanding of the material, as well as skilled analytical and essay-writing abilities. Here are few strategies that may help:

1. Understand Themes and Patterns: Try to place each event you study into a broader framework. Understanding the themes the College Board uses to organize the course (like interaction between Europe and the world or economic systems) can help you predict the types of questions you'll see on the exam.

2. Practice Essay Writing: A significant portion of the exam score comes from free-response questions, so practice writing within the AP essay formats. Additionally, focus on using specific historical evidence and examples in your essays.

3. Use Practice Tests: You can gauge your understanding of the material and get acquainted with the test format by using the practice tests released by the College Board.

4. Study Across Time Periods: The exam will expect you to analyze changes and continuities over time, so study events considering their causes, effects, and how they may have evolved over various periods.

Good luck with your studies!