By Angelina Li

Communism, Sputnik, AP testing.
Yes, even AP testing was a product of America’s dispute with the Soviet Union.
According to Alina Tugend, the Advancement Placement program was instituted in 1955 to combat how “American high school students were falling behind the rest of the world, the Soviet Union in particular” by offering “college-level classes” to the “elite high school[ers].”
Only in 1999 was the AP Program divested from being only a “mainstay of affluent, mostly white schools” to being offered in more districts—thanks to the ACLU.
However, much like any standardized testing, people are still hesitant about the benefit of AP testing due to the stress and financial burden it may cause. The question remains of how much should be dedicated to providing AP programs to students, to which senior vice president of the AP program Trevor Packer states, he “would rather have a culture where we take risks on giving opportunities.”
Employed by the College Board, Packer inherently has a bias towards the program. However, from the perspective of a high school senior, navigating AP classes is a rewarding challenge.
Hence, as schools are beginning to resume, here are some tips for different AP classes that students may be taking.
ADVICE SECTION
[MCQ= multiple choice question, SAQ= short answer question, FRQ= free response question]
AP European History
Test Breakdown: 55 MCQ (40% of score), 3 SAQ (20% of score), 2 FRQ (40% of score)
The 2 FRQs are the document-based question (25%) and the long-essay question (15%)
Based on scoring alone, you should focus on the DBQ, especially as the essay gives you sources to reference. There are no sources provided for answering the long-essay question.
However, if you know you can answer the LEQ prompt well, do the LEQ first.
Remember that misinterpreting DBQ sources will lead to a poor score.
If you have absolutely nothing to write for your FRQs, just answer the prompt with a defensible thesis. Then, for the evidence, write something loosely related, which might help you jog up your memory.
Practice MCQs consistently, restudying the content you often miss.
Remember that the test is a holistic examination of European history: throughout our studying, focus on how a historical concept (ex: women's rights) has changed over time.
AP U.S. History
Test Breakdown: 55 MCQs (40% of score), 3 SAQs (20% of score), 2 FRQs (40% of score)
The 2 FRQs are the document-based question (25%) and the long-essay question (15%)
Follow the advice provided for the AP Euro exam.
What’s different, however, is that the content of APUSH begins in a later time period. Hence, in APUSH, there is a greater expectation to remember exact events rather than only general principles.
Because College Board is trying to be more inclusive with their material, remember to not only focus on the white man’s perspective.
AP Psychology
Test Breakdown: 100 MCQs (66.7% of score) and 2 FRQs (33.3% of Exam Score)
The 2 FRQs consist of a concept application question, focusing on explaining examples of psychological concepts. The second question is a research design question, which includes more data analysis.
Take online practice tests to gauge how much time you need for the MCQ section, as this test has significantly more questions.
Reference past FRQ answers on the College Board website to see how you can best answer questions. Remember, this test is not about how well you can craft a sentence.
AP Spanish Language
Test Breakdown: 30 MCQs without audio (23% of score), 35 MCQs with audio (27% of score), 2 Written FRQs (25% of score), 2 Spoken FRQs (25% of score)
Written FRQs consist of replying to an email message and writing an argumentative essay. Spoken FRQs includes simulating a conversation (with 5 questions) and a 2-minute cultural comparison presentation.
Practice listening to a range of audios. College Board has given audios with random background music and muffled voices, so be prepared to not have crystal clear audio.
Memorize 3-4 idioms that you can include in your FRQs to demonstrate you know cultural nuance.
In the fourth FRQ, you will give a presentation comparing a Spanish-speaking country with your own community. As you study, focus on learning one Spanish country so that on the test you will be well-versed in it.
One of the easier components of this exam is the email response, where you respond to a Spanish email. For example, you may be writing from the perspective of someone who just received an internship. Here is where you can easily demonstrate your advanced grammar, idioms, and vast vocabulary.
AP English Language
Test Breakdown: 45 MCQs (45% of score), 3 FRQs (55% of score)
Written FRQs consist of a synthesis essay (using the given sources), a rhetorical analysis question, and an argument essay.
Keep in mind that the MCQs are quite similar to the SAT Reading and Writing section.
The FRQs can be completed in any order, so start with the one you you can write well.
Some may prefer to write the argument essay first, as persuasive writing is something learned throughout many years of education.
Others may prefer to begin with the rhetorical analysis essay, as it is a different style of analytical reasoning than argumentative, then, shifting to the argument and synthesis essays.
Remember to be specific with the evidence you include in your essay.
**please note the subjectivity of the advice: what worked for others may not work for you**
Taking an AP course is not for everyone. Yet, remember what is important is to challenge oneself academically, seizing the opportunity to grow as a person.
Tugend, Alina. “Who Benefits From the Expansion of A.P. Classes?” The New York Times, 7 Sep. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/magazine/who-benefits-from-the-expansion-of-ap-classes.html. Accessed 1 September 2023.
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