AP European History

  1. The AP European History Exam is a standardized test offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement (AP) program. It assesses students' knowledge and understanding of European history from the Renaissance to the present day. The exam covers a wide range of historical periods, events, and themes in European history.

    Format:

    1. Multiple-Choice Questions (40% of the Exam):
      • The multiple-choice section consists of 55 questions.
      • Students are provided with stimulus material such as primary and secondary sources, maps, charts, and images.
      • Each question presents a prompt followed by four possible answer choices. Students must select the best answer from the options provided.
    2. Short Answer Questions (20% of the Exam):
      • The short answer section includes four sets of questions.
      • Each set includes two to three questions that assess historical thinking skills and content knowledge.
      • Students are required to provide brief written responses, usually in the form of a few sentences or a short paragraph.
    3. Document-Based Question (DBQ) (25% of the Exam):
      • The DBQ section assesses students' ability to analyze and interpret historical documents.
      • Students are provided with a question or prompt related to a specific historical period or theme.
      • They must analyze and synthesize the provided documents, incorporating outside knowledge to construct a coherent essay response.
    4. Long Essay Question (LEQ) (15% of the Exam):
      • The LEQ section requires students to write a well-organized essay response to a prompt.
      • Students must develop an argument supported by historical evidence and contextualization.
      • They are expected to incorporate relevant historical examples and analyze the given topic in a clear and coherent manner.

    The AP European History Exam is typically administered in a timed setting, with a total testing time of three hours and 15 minutes. The exam is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score. A score of 3 or higher is generally considered a passing score and may earn students college credit or advanced placement in European history courses, depending on the policies of individual colleges and universities.