I did my very first AP exam on May 12, 2016. It was terrifying, but I am really glad I completed the course. I would really recommend anyone to take the course. Why? History is a fun course. You learn about people, how things change over time, and what caused it. This is different than your average world history class. You are not expected to memorize every single detail, like dates, names, but you are asked to understand patterns. For example since this is a world history class, you are not looking at one region specifically. How does an event in a particular place affect the way the people live in other places? This might be hard to answer, but as you are finishing the course, it is something that you should be able to understand. Plus, it is known as a pretty easy AP class compared to other AP classes. If you do decide to take the course, I recommend you to take it during your sophomore year so you can understand the basics of the AP, which can help you make your decision about future AP classes.Â
As stated before, I did my exam in 2016. However, CollegeBoard have started making changes to the exam, meaning first examination in 2017 will be slightly different with past examinations. So what’s different? The content that you are learning is still the same, but the way the exam is presented is a little bit different. For example, the exam in 2016 is divided into two sections weighted equally: multiple choice and free-response questions aka FRQ, each weighted as 50%. However, there is a new addition to the new 2017 examination, impacting the way the section are weighted. As a result, the multiple choice is now weighted 40% and the free-response questions are weighted 60%. This may or may not help you, but all you have to learn is the content. Do not try to memorize the content, but understand the content. The exam writers want to “trick” you, meaning they will write the questions in ways not relying on how much detail you know, but in what you know apply to different situations.
So what do you need in order to help you succeed in class?
There are times where I felt like dying. Different schools taught AP World History differently. In my school, we have to read one whole textbook (it’s pretty big, like it’s over 1000 pages long) in one year. Most of the time, it was really self-study. I had moments where I just don’t want to read, and did not care about the exam as long as I am passing the class. But at the end, it was really worth it. I was happy with the grade I got in class and my exam score. In order to be able to succeed you have to be willing to learn, meaning there will be a significant amount of effort you have to put in order to succeed. Easier said than done right? I can’t tell you enough how much effort I put in the class. But it is also because I love the material that we are learning, how much the world have changed over 10,000 years.
I was planning to make a long list of tips, but I really want to express my love for this class. I will be posting more tips on AP World History. If you have any questions or suggestions for future post on AP World, please feel free to ask!