Has exam anxiety set in yet? Before it gets out of control, we’re here to offer you a wealth of invaluable information, including tips and tricks to set you up for success! Let’s get started. In order to do well on the AP European History exam, or any exam for that matter, students need to establish a consistent study schedule. That can be a challenge for high school students. Most students are just learning to manage their time and prioritize school, a social life, and maybe even a part-time job. However, time management and dedication are key to performing well. While there are a multitude of helpful hints we will offer here, the AP Euro Score Calculator will be your secret weapon to maximize your chances of success.

AP Euro Score Calculator

Is AP European History hard?

Students are always curious, wondering what to expect in terms of difficulty when it comes to the AP European History course and exam. The answer is AP European History isn’t on the list of the hardest AP classes…but it isn’t on the list of the easiest AP classes either. It’s fair to say AP European History— both the course and the exam, likely fall somewhere in the middle.

There are a wide variety of AP subjects that students will take courses in and later, test in, and the AP European History exam is just one of many.

Historically (pun intended), students have performed well on the AP European History exam. Their scores fell in the following ranges:

• 13% of students scored a 5
• 21% of students scored a 4
• 25% of students scored a 3
• 29% of students scored a 2
• 12% of students scored a 1

Overall, 59% of students scored a 3 or higher on the AP European History exam which is encouraging. But don’t get too comfortable thinking you don’t need to study!

The tips and tricks below —along with the AP European History Score Calculator, will help you maximize your potential to do well on the AP Euro exam. Even if a student doesn’t get a score of 3 or higher, there are benefits to taking the exam. Taking the exam helps reinforce basic understanding and skills in the course, and students who’ve taken the AP European History exam have moved on to earn higher grades when taking the course at the college level.

Now, back to the tips, tricks, and that secret weapon.

The AP European History Score Calculator increases the odds of a higher exam score.  

Students benefit from tools that give them an edge on their AP exams. But, for many students, it isn’t just about passing the exams, it’s also about aiming for that coveted high score. The AP European History Score Calculator is a vital tool to each student’s success. The AP European History Score Calculator simulates how a student might score on the exam which is helpful. Perhaps most beneficial, is that the AP European History Score Calculator will alert students to areas where more preparation and study might be needed. This tool, along with solid study and prep habits —several listed below, are the secret to your exam success.

AP Euro test format?

Getting acquainted with the AP European History exam format is going to be key in both relieving test anxiety and optimizing chances of success.

The AP European History Exam will assess “student understanding of the historical thinking skills and learning objectives outlined in the course framework. The exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and students are required to answer 55 multiple-choice questions, 3 short-answer questions, 1 document-based question, and 1 long essay question.”

In addition, past examples of the document-based questions can be found here. Perhaps even more helpful, an updated rubric for 2023-2024 can also be found here for your review.

What do the AP European History exam free response/document-based questions look like?

Statistically, it’s been shown that the free response or document-based questions are more challenging to students taking the AP European History exam. Students score higher on the multiple-choice exam questions. As students familiarize themselves with the practice questions, it’s important to reiterate the benefits of the AP European History Score Calculator. Utilizing the AP European History Score Calculator gives students an edge in understanding where their strengths are in terms of the exam, and areas where more study might be necessary.

How to get a 5 on the AP European History exam?

What is considered a “high score” for the AP European History exam? Scores of 3, 4, or 5 are considered acceptable scores. According to the College Board, “a 3 is ‘qualified,’ a 4 ‘well qualified,’ and a 5 — the highest score, is ‘extremely well qualified.”

Tips & tricks to pass your AP European History exam

Step One: take the AP European History practice exam as many times as you feel necessary and check your work with the AP European History Score Calculator.

Step Two: review the tips and tricks below to set you on the path to exam success.

Tip #1

Monitor your time carefully. Be aware of the time allotted for each section and don’t use too much time on any one question. If you have time remaining at the end, you can return to any unanswered questions. *Extra tip: don’t use time restating the question in your answer. That doesn’t earn points.

Tip #2

Plan your responses prior to writing them. Thoughtfully consider the question, then identify the elements required to be addressed in the response. For example, some questions might ask you to consider similarities between people or events, then think of the ways they’re different. Or you might be required to develop an argument followed by examples to support. The takeaway is— don’t glance at the question, then hastily start writing.

Tip #3

Integrate evidence into each response. Once you determine how each question needs to be answered, consider the necessary evidence. Reflect on the supporting evidence you studied during the year and decide how it fits into the analysis. Does it demonstrate the required similarity or difference? Does it adequately argue the point that it needs to?

Tip #4

Choose your thesis statement. Ugh, the dreaded thesis statement. It will be helpful to think through your evidence and determine your thesis statement before you begin writing. This order of things will put you in a position to address the question analytically versus a rambling narrative.

AP Euro Score Calculator (Continued)

Tip #5

Support your thesis statement. Make your statement or argument, then position your supporting evidence so that it is directed to clearly answer the question. State your points clearly. Explicitly connect your statements/evidence to the overall thesis statement. Avoid making generalizations.

Tip #6

Elaborate and expound on your evidence. Don’t just paraphrase or summarize. State your intent clearly. Once you’ve done that, use any additional information or analysis to elaborate on the similarities or differences. If there’s evidence that refutes a statement, explain why. Your answer should show a comprehensive understanding of the question.

Tip #7

Practice. Then practice some more. Utilize the AP European History Score Calculator to review how well you’ve done on the exam. Be aware of any areas where extra study and preparation might be necessary.

Next: Pay attention to the task verbs.

You’ll see the following task verbs on the AP European History exam:

Compare: “Provide a description or explanation of similarities and/or differences.”

Describe: “Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic.”

Evaluate: “Judge or determine the significance or importance or the quality or accuracy of a claim.”

AP Euro Score Calculator (Continued)

Explain: “Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning. Explaining ‘how’ typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas, explaining ‘why’ typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.”

Identify: “Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.”

Support an argument: “Provide specific examples of and explain how they support a claim.”

When Do Scores Come Out?

Historically (there’s that pun again), students are typically notified of their exam scores sometime between early to mid-July, In 2023, that date was on July 5th.

Not only are students anxious to find out how they did, but achieving a score of 3, 4, or 5 might pay off in the college admission process. It can also help you earn college credits and reduces tuition overall.

AP Euro Score Calculator – Conclusion

The tips and tricks we’ve provided, studying, taking the practice exam, and using the AP European History Score Calculator to review your responses will be the key to optimizing your performance on the AP European History exam.

Good luck!

For additional information about AP exams, please consult the following resources:

• AP Score Calculators
• APUSH Score Calculator 
• AP Computer Science A Score Calculator
• SAT Score Calculator
• ACT Score Calculator