AP^® U.S. HISTORY

Currently, CollegeBoard is planning a traditional, in-person AP exam administration for May 2021. If circumstances surrounding the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic do not allow for in-person testing, an alternate solution will be found (likely involving online testing).

Each class session focuses primarily on reviewing about a month’s equivalent of AP material. Throughout the class, you’ll also answer AP exam questions and learn test strategies. After each class, you’ll receive a page of summary notes reviewing the most important topics from that session.

The time periods covered in each class are:

Session 1 - 1491-1754

Session 2 - 1754-1800

Session 3 - 1800-1848

Session 4 - 1844-1877

Session 5 - 1865-1898

Session 6 - 1890-1945

Session 7 - 1945-1980

Session 8 - 1980-Present and overall review

No problem! If you miss a class, you can watch a recording later - any time that works for you.

The AP United States History exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long. Section I lasts for 1 hour and 35 minutes, and Section II is 100 minutes long.

AP U.S. History is considered to be one of the more difficult AP exams because of the amount of content that is covered within both the course and the exam.

The AP U.S. History exam includes 9 specific time periods (some of which overlap), and each make up a specific percentage of your score: 

• Period 1: 1491-1607, 5% of score 
• Periods 2-5: 1607-1877, 45% of score 
• Periods 6-8: 1865-1980, 45% of score
• Period 9: 1980-the present, 5% of score

In May 2020, since most schools were closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic AP exams were administered online. The exams were 45 minutes long and had only free-response questions. CollegeBoard is not currently planning to repeat this in May 2021. They anticipate a traditional, in-person exam administration this spring.