US History AP
If you’re a high school student taking US History AP or considering taking the course, you might be wondering what the blog section is all about. In this section, we’ll take a look at what the course covers and what you can expect from the exam.
US History AP Course
The course covers nine periods of American history, from pre-Columbian times to the present day. A percentage indicates each content area’s exam weighting:
| Period | Percent |
| 1491-1607 | 4-6% |
| 1607-1754 | 6-8% |
| 1754-1800 | 10-17% |
| 1800-1848 | 10-17% |
| 1844-1877 | 10-17% |
| 1865-1898 | 10-17% |
| 1890-1945 | 10-17% |
| 1945-1980 | 10-17% |
| 1980-Present | 4-6% |
In most US History AP classes, a college-level textbook serves as the course’s foundation.
US History AP Exam
The US History AP course covers American history from 1491 to the present. The exam is divided into two sections: multiple choice and free response. In the multiple-choice section, you’ll be given four answer choices for each question and will need to choose the correct answer. In the free-response section, you’ll be asked to write three essays: an analytical essay, a synthesis essay, and an argumentative essay.
You can expect to spend about 2-3 hours on the exam, including time for both sections. While that may seem like a lot of time, remember that you’ll have plenty of time to prepare before the exam. Be sure to use your time wisely so that you’re ready when test day comes around!
Composite score range
The College Board has given data on the required composite score range (out of 180) for each grade.
| Final Score | Range 1996 | Range 2001 | Range 2002 | Range 2006 |
| 1 | 0-50 | 0-41 | 0-45 | 0-46 |
| 2 | 42-73 | 46-75 | 47-67 | 47-67 |
| 3 | 79-95 | 74-90 | 76-93 | 68-84 |
| 4 | 96-116 | 92-113 | 94-114 | 85-105 |
| 5 | 117-180 | 114-180 | 115-180 | 106-180 |
Note: The pre-2011 grading formula, which lost 0.25 points for each wrong multiple-choice answer, is reflected in the above composite score cut points.