Thinking about how you’ll score on the APUSH exam? There are many AP US History score calculators that can be confusing to navigate. Through our own APUSH Score Calculator, you’ll be able to calculate ahead of time just how well you’ll do. You may already know how challenging APUSH can be as a subject. So this fun fact probably isn’t a surprise: APUSH is listed not as one of the easiest AP classes but as one of the hardest AP classes.

With our APUSH Score Calculator and the right preparation, you’ll be sure to set yourself up for success. Often students will want to know how they will score on the APUSH exam before they’ve even done it. We can’t recommend it enough to practice as much as you can. Our APUSH Score Calculator is an excellent motivational tool for you to improve your study habits before the exam. By using the APUSH Score Calculator, see which APUSH areas you can spend more time studying. It’s an efficient way to get ready for a 3, 4 or 5 on the APUSH exam, which are all good scores.

AP US History (APUSH) Score Calculator

Looking for extra help? Consider signing up for Edison Prep’s amazing in-person or virtual APUSH bootcamp. These run on 4/20/24 and 4/21/24.

If you haven’t begun doing so, familiarize yourself with the layout of the APUSH exam. This will only help you by the time the exam date rolls around. Early preparation is the key here. Knowing what type of questions and writing sections ahead of time will only help you in the long run. The AP US History score calculator can help you with just that.

But what does it exactly entail? What can you expect? The APUSH exam lasts for 3 hours and 15 minutes, and is divided into two sections. The first section lasts for 95 minutes and consists of 55 multiple-choice questions and 3 short answer questions. The second section lasts for 100 minutes and includes 1 document-based question (DBQ) and 1 long essay question. It’s absolutely important to be informed about these specific questions and know what to expect.

APUSH DBQ

When reviewing the APUSH exam, you will see that the longest part of the APUSH exam is the APUSH DBQ. The APUSH DBQ lasts for 60 minutes, including a 15-minute reading section, and it makes up 25% of the exam. So it’s no wonder that many students can get intimidated by the APUSH DBQ. However, it often comes down to really understanding what types of questions and materials you’ll be reviewing on the big day.

When you’re about to answer the APUSH DBQ during the APUSH exam, you’ll come across seven documents that describe different views of a historical event or development. These documents will come in visual, numerical or written form. They are there for you to use as evidence to your written argument. You’ll be asked to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge of the prompt’s subject and the time period in question. The time periods can range from any historical event or development from 1491 until present day. Be sure to write a well-supported, thoroughly analytical and argumentative response in your written response. Having a strong grasp of historical developments and the surrounding relevant events will only help elevate your APUSH DBQ. You might see that this is one area you need to improve on, which an AP US History score calculator can show you.

APUSH Score Calculator/AP US History Score Calculator 

Some examples of the APUSH DBQ are:

• – Evaluate the extent to which commercial development changed United States society from 1800 to 1855.
• – Evaluate the extent to which the definitions of United States citizenship changed from 1865 to 1920.
• – Evaluate the extent of change in United States political parties in the period 1791 to 1833.
• – Evaluate the extent to which economic growth led to changes in United States society in the period from 1940 to 1970.

See those words “evaluate the extent”? The more strongly you can support your answer, the better. Oftentimes this is the section that students can struggle with the most. Once you use our APUSH Score Calculator, take a look at any rooms for improvement here.

APUSH DBQ Rubric

According to the APUSH DBQ rubric, the highest score you can get is 7 points. The following is how the APUSH DBQ rubric is determined:

Thesis/Claim – 1 point

The thesis/claim is usually one or two sentences, either in the introduction or conclusion. You must answer the prompt with a thesis/claim that is historically supported and relays your perspective on the topic. It is important here to make sure to answer the prompt fully, rather than reiterating and rewording the prompt. The exam reviewers will want to see a clear, thoroughly supported answer.

Contextualization – 1 point

With contextualization, you want to be able to write about the larger historical context that relates to the prompt. Think about what other historical factors are at play here. Focus on how the wider historical events taking place at the time of the prompt affected the subject you are addressing. But make sure not to focus too much on any events that don’t directly support your stance and have you veer off track.

Evidence – 3 points

How you analyze and use the evidence depends on how far you can go with them. You can score 1 or 2 points through the way you use the evidence from the documents. This corresponds to whether you used at least three or four documents to answer the prompt. To earn 1 point here, you’ll need to specifically describe the evidence you are using, instead of just quoting it or restating what the reviewer can see. Then to earn 2 points, you’ll need to do the same, but also carefully explain the evidence in four documents. The more you can provide a fuller picture using the evidence at hand, the better chance you have of attaining a higher score.

To then score 1 more point, be sure to provide evidence that goes beyond the documents. This means if you use at least one form of evidence, not already in any of the documents provided, to support your argument. Be as detailed as you can when mentioning this piece of evidence because you’re referring to something the reviewers won’t be able to refer to in the documents. The 1 point here will only be granted if the evidence differs from what you provided in the contextualization part, mentioned above. Just remember, don’t repeat any points you’ve already made. Think, what else could I mention that I haven’t done yet?

Analysis and Reasoning – 2 points

This part of the APUSH DBQ rubric is divided into 2 points because the first point will be given if you write about two documents. For each document you choose, you’ll then need to write out exactly how or why it answers the prompt in question. Consider if there is a specific point of view, historical outlook, or intended audience for the documents.

You can get the other point if you show a thorough, complex understanding of the historical development relevant to the prompt. The APUSH DBQ reviewers will be looking for an intelligent, sophisticated answer that shows how well you understand the question. Think of ways to explain multiple points of view, various similarities, or differences that can strongly support your argument. You can also analyze four or all seven documents in your response to the prompt. The ultimate key here is to write with well-informed nuance and acute awareness to help demonstrate your level of understanding.

Keep in mind: It’s important to not just write one or two sentences here, but to create a strongly supported, reasonable argument.

What is the average APUSH score?

Many students think about how many APs they should take and what the average scores for AP exams are, in order to gauge how well they’ll do. Though the average often changes every year, there is most times an even distribution for each subject. Often, as a result, you’ll end up noticing a trend in how students perform when looking at a timespan of several years. Referring to the APUSH score distributions, the average APUSH score was 2.83 in 2020, 2.71 in 2019, 2.66 in 2018, 2.65 in 2017, 2.70 in 2016, 2.64 in 2015. From the data gathered over those six years, the average APUSH score is around 2.70.

How can knowing this help you in your APUSH exam? Instead of viewing this data as a daunting block, it’s another reminder to help inform how exactly you’ll need to approach your exam preparation. By using our APUSH score calculator, you can continue practicing to ensure that you’re on top of it before the big exam day. The more you use our APUSH Score Calculator, you’ll have a stronger grasp on how you’ll fare on the APUSH exam, compared to the average APUSH score.

APUSH Score Calculator/AP US History Score Calculator 

And in case you’re wondering when to expect the APUSH exam results, this year’s AP scores came out on July 5, 2023. AP scores are usually published in July, but as the exact date can sometimes change, it’s best to always keep yourself updated.

Overall, here are some statistics on how students did for the APUSH score in 2023:

• 11% of students received a 5
• 15% of students received a 4
• 22% of students received a 3
• 23% of students received a 2
• 29% of students received a 1

Knowing all this, it’ll be helpful to be aware of how to realistically prepare for the APUSH exam and interpret the average APUSH score.

How to get a 5 on APUSH

It’s a question that many students ask themselves. How can I get a 5 on APUSH? What can I do to increase my chances of getting a 5? As most of us would love to get that score, the data above shows that it’s evidently harder to achieve. There’s sadly no clear-cut answer as to how you can score a 5, but through constant practice and well-informed preparation, like using our APUSH Score Calculator, it’s still very possible.

It will be incredibly rewarding for you to get a head start. Start practicing how to reason well, form a strong, sophisticated argument with relevant historical evidence, and gather information with differing points of view to support your written answer.

One thing to understand is that achieving a 3, 4, or 5 are all good scores. There are a plethora of colleges and universities that will offer you college credit if you get a 3, 4 or 5, which you can find more about through the AP credit policy.