3 TIPS for CRUSHING Your AP HISTORY Exams in 2023

Heimler's History
3 Apr 202304:52
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRSteve Heimler offers valuable advice for stressed AP students preparing for their exams in May. He emphasizes the importance of knowing exam dates and formats, and provides three key study tips: mastering the course content, practicing historical thinking skills, and taking practice exams for endurance and familiarity. He also recommends using his 30-day exam review and review packs for efficient studying.

Takeaways
  • 📅 Know the exact time and date of your AP exam and arrive at least 30 minutes early to avoid additional stress.
  • ⏰ Familiarize yourself with the exam format, which lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes and consists of four sections.
  • 💯 The multiple-choice section has 55 questions to be completed in 55 minutes, accounting for 40% of your score.
  • 📝 In the short answer questions (SAQ), you have 40 minutes to answer three out of four questions, contributing 20% to your score.
  • 📑 The document-based question (DBQ) section gives you 60 minutes to write an essay based on seven provided documents, worth 25% of your score.
  • 📝 The long essay question (LEQ) allows 40 minutes to write an essay on one of three prompts, accounting for 15% of your score.
  • 🎯 Focus your study on the required content by using resources like the College Board's binders and review materials that cover the necessary concepts.
  • 🚀 Improve your historical thinking skills by practicing how to interpret documents, build arguments, and address change over time.
  • 📝 Take practice exams to familiarize yourself with the endurance and focus required for the actual exam day.
  • 📈 Utilize study guides and review packs that are specifically tailored to the AP exam format and content.
  • 🔍 Seek out additional resources and support from your teachers and online platforms to maximize your preparation.
Q & A

  • What is the main purpose of the video?

    -The main purpose of the video is to provide tips and strategies for students preparing for their AP exams, specifically in history courses like APUSH, AP Euro, and AP World.

  • What is the first tip given by Steve for exam preparation?

    -The first tip is to ensure that students know the time and date of their exam and arrive at the testing location at least 30 minutes before the exam starts to avoid additional stress.

  • How long does the entire AP exam take?

    -The entire AP exam takes three hours and 15 minutes.

  • What is the format of the multiple-choice section of the exam?

    -The multiple-choice section consists of 55 questions that students must complete in 55 minutes, focusing on testing the ability to think historically with each question attached to a stimulus like a document excerpt, picture, or graph.

  • How much does the multiple-choice section contribute to the overall score?

    -The multiple-choice section contributes 40% to the overall score.

  • What type of questions are in the short answer questions (SAQ) section?

    -The SAQ section contains four questions, but students only have to answer three. The questions have stimuli attached and require short answers, not full essays.

  • What is the recommended study strategy according to Steve?

    -Steve recommends studying smarter, not harder. This includes understanding the content, practicing the skills required for the course, and taking practice exams.

  • How can students access the content required for the exam?

    -Students can access the required content through the College Board's binders provided to teachers or by using Steve's 30-day exam review videos and review packs.

  • Why is it important to practice taking a full-length exam?

    -Practicing taking a full-length exam is important for building endurance and familiarity with the exam format, preventing students from feeling overwhelmed on the actual exam day.

  • What resources does Steve offer to help with exam preparation?

    -Steve offers a 30-day exam review guide and review packs that cover all the necessary content and skills for the exam, along with practice questions and exams.

  • How can students enhance their understanding of historical thinking?

    -Students can enhance their understanding of historical thinking by practicing skills such as interpreting documents, building arguments with evidence, and addressing change over time, which are covered in the review materials and practice exams.

Outlines
00:00
📚 Preparing for AP Exams: Tips and Strategies

This paragraph introduces the video's purpose, which is to help students prepare for their AP history exams, regardless of whether it's APUSH, AP Euro, or AP World. The speaker, Steve Heimler, emphasizes the importance of knowing the exam date and time, arriving early, and familiarizing oneself with the exam format, which includes multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, document-based questions, and long essay questions. He also stresses the significance of studying smart, focusing on required content, and practicing exam skills.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡AP Exams
AP Exams refer to the Advanced Placement examinations offered by the College Board in the United States. These exams are designed to assess high school students' mastery of college-level courses. In the context of the video, the speaker is addressing students preparing for AP history exams such as APUSH (AP United States History), AP Euro (AP European History), and AP World.
💡Exam Format
The term 'Exam Format' refers to the structure and components of a standardized test. In the video, the speaker explains the format of the AP history exams, which includes multiple-choice questions, short answer questions (SAQ), document-based questions (DBQ), and long essay questions (LEQ). Understanding the exam format is crucial for students to effectively prepare and strategize for the test.
💡Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple Choice Questions are a type of question in which students choose the correct answer from several options provided. In the context of the video, these questions are not merely factual but are designed to test students' ability to think historically, requiring them to analyze documents, images, or data provided alongside the questions.
💡Short Answer Questions (SAQ)
Short Answer Questions (SAQ) are a section of the AP exam where students are required to provide concise responses to questions based on historical content. Unlike multiple-choice questions, SAQs demand that students formulate their own answers, typically in a few sentences, demonstrating their understanding and application of historical concepts.
💡Document-Based Question (DBQ)
A Document-Based Question (DBQ) is an essay prompt that requires students to write an essay using a set of provided documents as the primary source of evidence. This type of question assesses students' ability to analyze and interpret historical documents and to construct a coherent argument based on the evidence presented.
💡Long Essay Question (LEQ)
The Long Essay Question (LEQ) is a section of the AP exam where students choose one of three prompts and write an essay without the aid of documents. This type of question tests students' ability to recall historical knowledge and to craft a well-structured argument based on their understanding of the subject matter.
💡Study Smart
The phrase 'Study Smart' emphasizes the importance of using effective and efficient strategies when preparing for exams. In the video, the speaker suggests that instead of rote memorization or last-minute cramming, students should focus on understanding the content, practicing the skills required for the exam, and taking practice exams to familiarize themselves with the test format and build endurance.
💡Content Mastery
Content Mastery refers to the comprehensive understanding and recall of the material covered in a course. In the context of the video, the speaker emphasizes that while students do not need to know every detail, they should have a solid grasp of the key concepts and historical facts that are likely to be tested on the AP exams.
💡Historical Thinking
Historical Thinking involves the ability to analyze and interpret historical events, developments, and sources. It requires skills such as understanding cause and effect, recognizing patterns and trends over time, and evaluating evidence. In the video, the speaker highlights the importance of these skills for success in AP history exams, where students are expected to apply them to various question types.
💡Practice Exams
Practice Exams are mock tests that replicate the structure and content of the actual exam, allowing students to familiarize themselves with the test format, question types, and time constraints. In the video, the speaker underscores the value of taking practice exams to build the endurance needed to complete the lengthy AP exams and to gain experience in applying the skills and content knowledge to the test conditions.
Highlights

Steve Heimler provides valuable tips for stressed AP students.

AP exams preparation video covers multiple courses like APUSH, AP Euro, and AP World.

Students are advised to arrive at least 30 minutes before their exam to reduce stress.

The AP exam lasts for three hours and 15 minutes, divided into four sections.

Multiple choice section has 55 questions to be completed in 55 minutes, focusing on historical thinking.

Short Answer Questions (SAQ) section accounts for 20% of the score and includes four questions, of which three must be answered.

Document-Based Question (DBQ) section is worth 25% of the score and requires writing an essay based on seven documents.

Long Essay Question (LEQ) section is worth 15% of the score and involves choosing one of three prompts to write an essay.

Study smarter, not harder by focusing on required content and practicing exam skills.

Free 30-day exam review and review packs are available to help students study only the necessary content.

Practice interpreting documents, building arguments, and addressing change over time to improve historical thinking skills.

Taking practice exams is crucial for endurance and familiarity with the exam format.

Heimler offers playlists covering all the skills of the course and 30-day review guides for comprehensive exam preparation.

Upcoming videos will provide further assistance for AP exam preparation.

Transcripts

Browse More Related Video

TOP 5 HARDEST & EASIEST AP CLASSES

What You DON’T Need to Study for the AP EXAM

How I Got 5s on All My AP Exams (And How You Can Too!)

15 AP English Literature Tips: How to Get a 4 or 5 in 2022 | Albert

AP WORLD HISTORY: HOW TO GET A 5

AP CALCULUS BC: HOW TO GET A 5

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Thanks for rating:

Related Tags
AP ExamsStudy TipsHistory CoursesExam FormatTime ManagementContent ReviewSkill PracticePractice ExamsEducational ResourcesStudent Success