Are you gearing up to take the AP® US History exam? We have all the tools you need to master the APUSH multiple choice portion, from preparation to performance.
The multiple choice segment of the APUSH exam is the first portion you will complete. It is 55 minutes long, and contains 55 questions. Having only a minute per question seems difficult, but with the right preparation, you’ll be on your way to a 5 in no time.
When you know what to expect from the multiple choice questions, you already place yourself a step ahead on exam day. The questions will call for more specific knowledge than the more open-ended, conceptual questions posed in the AP® US History free response questions and document based questions. In other words, they call for more “fact” based answers. This is not to say you don’t need to know names, dates, and battles for the FRQs and DBQs; however, in the writing sections you are given the opportunity to share and show off your wide range of knowledge on a topic and make historical connections on your own. In general, the AP® US History multiple choice section will be a more specific recall based set of questions.
So how should you study for such a broad range of multiple choice questions?
Break Down the Information by Time Periods.
Think about historical trends and patterns rather than endless lists of facts. When you can connect people and events with each other instead of studying them in isolation, you’ll begin to understand the material instead of simply memorizing it. This is the key to recalling the information on exam day.
According to the CollegeBoard, certain time periods appear more frequently and extensively in the multiple choice section than others. Here is an approximate breakdown: roughly 20% of the questions will deal with the pre-Columbian period through 1789; 45% will ask about 1790 to 1914; and 35% will involve the period from 1915 to the present.
Using these numbers, you can plan a study strategy that will focus more heavily on the more frequent material. The period 1790 to 1914 is very dense, so the topics assessed in these questions will be varied. Also, this time span deals heavily with overlapping patterns of behavior, reform movements, and political attitudes, so familiarize yourself with the connections and transitions between the movements. Knowing similarities and differences between the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era, for example, will help you connect material in your mind and remember it faster on the exam.
Familiarize Yourself with Cultural History.
In addition, while the APUSH multiple choice section will have some economics-based questions, in general, the focus is more towards social change, political institutions and behavior, and public policy. This means you want to be familiar with how the American people felt during various movements and time periods, and what laws, reform movements, wars, or policies were affecting their attitudes. Exam writers love to ask about the intersection of social and cultural history.
Practice Before the Exam.
Take the time to look up AP® US History practice questions so you can be ready for the different types of content and phrasing that show up most often. If you expect the way in which graders ask the questions, you will better understand how to answer them.
Now that you’ve reviewed, you’re ready to tackle the real thing. Here are our best APUSH multiple choice tips for exam day:
Read the Excerpts All The Way Through.
Some sets of multiple choice questions will be based on a short excerpt from a historical writing, such as The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. You will be provided with the excerpt and asked to answer 3-5 questions about its contents and significance. Make sure you don’t skip the reading! These questions are more about textual evidence than total recall of facts. The source will provide you with the information necessary to answer the questions. Read it quickly, but thoroughly; if you skip it altogether or merely skim the contents, you could be tripped up by a question such as “The excerpt suggests that which of the following was most influential on New England religion in the 1700’s?” If you do not read the source, you could choose an answer that is correct in a general context but not on the basis of the evidence.
Pay Close Attention to the Wording.
Many APUSH questions begin with the phrase, “Which of the following IS…” or “Which of the following IS NOT…” In these cases, one or more of the answer choices will almost certainly be the opposite of what the question is asking. Addressing the right question is the first step in choosing the correct options and eliminating the wrong ones. Answering the wrong question is a common but preventable mistake; read carefully, and you’ll already be one step ahead. Look out for qualifiers like “all,” “none,” “always,” and “never.” This will ensure you are not only choosing a correct option, but the most correct option based on the question content.
Immediately Eliminate Wrong Answers.
If, after reading the question, you read an answer choice you know is completely irrelevant or incorrect, cross it out. You are allowed to write in your test booklet, and the visual of a crossed-out answer choice will help you narrow down the rest of the options. If an answer choice does not fit within the time period of the question, eliminate it. For instance, if an answer choice for a question about antebellum Southern society is Andrew Johnson, this is most likely not the best answer. This trick is especially helpful when there are several similar answer choices within a question.
Answer Every Question, Even If You’re Unsure.
There is no penalty on the APUSH exam for incorrect answers, so you should mark a choice for every question. You will not receive points if you guess incorrectly, but you won’t lose them. Plus, you have a chance at guessing correctly and getting yourself a higher multiple choice score. Take advantage of this opportunity.
Read Through the Multiple Choice Portion Twice: Once to Answer the Questions You Know For Sure, and Once to Answer the Tougher Questions.
On your first walkthrough of the section, quickly answer the questions you know, and circle the numbers you need to return to next time. This will build your confidence and keep you from spending too much time going back and forth between answers, when simple questions are waiting for you at the end of the section. When you go back through the set a second time, think carefully about the choices, but don’t spend too much time on each individual question. Each one is worth the same amount of points, no matter the difficulty. Often, the questions that first seemed impossible will now be an easy recall, because you are more relaxed and have gained a little confidence. Plus, the APUSH exam often groups similar topic questions together, so moving on to the next question could remind you of the earlier answers.
Pay Attention to the Questions; They May Help you Later on!
The multiple choice portion is the first section on the exam; use this to your advantage! Take note of questions that remind you of a topic you maybe haven’t spent as much time reviewing. If anything, the relationship between the questions and the answer choices can provide you with the broader conceptual connections that you will be asked to write about in the free response questions. Later, although you cannot flip back to the multiple choice in your booklet during your writing portions, you can recall some of the information presented in those questions and use it to boost your writing.
For example, there will be more fact-based multiple choice questions about the Gilded Age and robber barons. The questions or answer choices will likely contain names or dates, which will be a boost to your writing and make it more specific. Drawing on particular figures is an advantage in essays, so you can use this section to strengthen your score.
Review your Answers, but Go With your Gut.
If you have extra time, use it to look over your answers one more time. However, don’t change an answer unless you are completely sure that your initial choice was wrong. The APUSH exam writers will often put two similar answer choices on the same question, but you need to make sure you’re choosing the most correct answer. For instance, a question about Revolutionary War leadership may contain the names of John Adams, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams; although they all played distinct roles, if you can only recall a first or last name, this question will give you some trouble. When in doubt, choose the first answer that comes to your head or the first one that feels natural. Most of the time, if you are choosing between two answers, your first instinct will be the right choice. This way you can avoid changing your answers several times and ending up choosing the wrong one.
Relax.
Stress is your number one exam-taking enemy. Just stay calm, and have confidence in your study skills. You won’t be able to get every question correct, but you don’t need to in order to get a good score. You’ve studied in and out of class, you’ve done practice tests, and you’ve prepared thoroughly. Trust yourself to choose the best option. If you relax during the APUSH multiple choice questions, you will feel more calm for the nerve-wracking essay portion.
Now you have a head start on the strategies for conquering the AP® US History multiple choice section of the APUSH exam. For many students, this portion is a confidence booster that refreshes their memory of major events and movements so they can gear up for the demanding writing section. Use the questions to your advantage, and trust what you know. As long as you prepare strategically, take your time, and pay attention, you’ll be well on your way to a 5 in May.
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