how hard is ap world history course

by Keeley Prohaska DVM 10 min read

More than 300,000 students took the AP World History exam in May 2020. And when the scores came back, World History ranked among the 10 hardest AP classes, based on the number of passing scores. Is AP World History hard? Based on test scores, many students find the test harder than other AP exams.Mar 3, 2022

Full Answer

Is AP World History Worth It?

Yes, there are still benefits to taking AP World History even if you're interested in a medical career. You may still need social studies credits to graduate high school. If you score well on the exam, you can also use APWH to redeem college credit when you go to college. That way you don't need to pay for a history class in c

Is AP World History harder than human geography?

I took AP Human during Freshmen and AP World during sophomore. For me, AP Human is very interesting (a little more than AP world since more modern topics) but I found it to be very hard. Perhaps it was because it was my first AP that I felt like it was hard, idk. AP World was such a breeze for me though. However, both teachers have different ...

What is the difficulty of the AP World History test?

Is AP World History difficult? Based on the factors examined in this article, AP World History is a medium-difficulty AP class, verging on slightly more difficult. The statistics indicate that the test is challenging, but it’s also taken by a large number of students, many of whom are still underclassmen who aren’t used to APs.

Why is AP US history so hard?

To take AP, is to get an opportunity to take that exam and possibly earn college credit based off your score. We learn things quicker in AP and assignments are always expected to be done. AP is a more challenging class than honors because the AP exam is hard.

Is AP World History worth taking?

Because the credit received through AP World History is contingent on the AP exam at the end of the year, many people don't believe the class is worth it. However, AP World History does provide necessary reading and writing skills in high school that students will be grateful for in college.

Is AP World History hard to self study?

WHAP isn't an easy class. It may seem like you just can't learn it all in time, and that's completely okay; it's okay to be worried.

Which is harder AP World History or AP US history?

0:003:24Which is HARDER: AP World or APUSH? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWell hey and welcome back to heimlich's. History now i get a lot of people asking me which class isMoreWell hey and welcome back to heimlich's. History now i get a lot of people asking me which class is harder is it ap world history or ap us history and in this video i'm about to split it up real nice

Do Colleges look at AP World History?

College Credit Course Placement for AP World History Most colleges and universities have a history requirement and/or a global perspectives requirement, so a high score on the AP World History exam will sometimes fulfill one or both of these requirements.

What happens if you fail AP World History?

What happens if you fail AP® World History: Modern Exam? You will have the opportunity to retake the AP® World History exam as many times as necessary to pass with the score you want. The exam is given each May. You will be responsible for the exam fees for every time you sit for the exam.

Why is AP World History so hard?

AP World History requires critical thinking about the relevance of particular themes at certain historical moments (and knowledge of some specific examples to back up your conclusions). It's not necessary to memorize everything that's ever happened to do well, so the content isn't as hard as it appears at first glance.

What is the hardest AP course?

The Three Hardest AP ClassesAP Physics 1. Despite a reputation as one of the most difficult AP classes, Physics 1 is also one of the most popular—137,229 students took it in 2021. ... AP U.S. History. AP U.S. history is one of the hardest AP classes in the humanities and in general. ... AP Chemistry.

Can a freshman take AP World History?

Freshmen generally have a choice between AP World History or regular/honors World History for their history class. Similarly, juniors generally have a choice between AP U.S. History (APUSH), IB History of the Americas, or regular U.S. History.

What is the easiest AP class in high school?

The easiest AP classes – ranked by student difficulty ratingsComputer Science Principles: 2.8 – Very Easy.Chinese: 2.9 – Very Easy with especially high pass rate [1]Psychology: 3.2 – Very Easy.Human Geography: 4.1 – Quite Easy.Environmental Science: 4.2 – Quite Easy, but unusual to score a 5 [2]More items...

Is AP history hard?

AP U.S. History is a challenging high school advanced placement course. The course covers centuries of material and requires sharp analysis skills. The AP U.S. History exam has a relatively low pass rate compared with those of other AP exams. Even though it's a difficult course, it can be rewarding for many students.

How do you ace AP World History?

AP World History: Modern Exam TipsKeep an eye on your time. Monitor your time carefully. ... Plan your answers. ... Integrate evidence. ... Decide your thesis statement. ... Support your thesis statement. ... Elaborate on the evidence. ... Practice! ... Write each response only on the page designated for that question.More items...

What is taught in AP World History?

About the Course Study the cultural, economic, political, and social developments that have shaped the world from c. 1200 CE to the present. You'll analyze texts, visual sources, and other historical evidence and write essays expressing historical arguments.

What Does AP World History Cover?

AP World History covers economic, political, social, and cultural changes from 1200 to today. Learners evaluate primary sources, images, and other...

When Should You Take AP World History?

When do high schoolers typically take AP World History? The answer depends on the school. However, many schools offer world history in 10th grade....

Should I Take AP World History?

High schoolers often wonder which AP classes to take. AP World History remains a popular option, and the course covers an exciting period in histor...

Is AP World History worth it?

High schoolers choosing classes often wonder if a certain AP class will be worth the effort. In the case of AP World History, around 60% of test-ta...

Do colleges care about AP World History?

Many colleges award credit for AP exam scores. At some schools, passing scores on the World History exam may also meet general education requiremen...

Does AP World History cover ancient history?

AP World History used to cover ancient history, but it no longer does. The College Board made changes to the class in 2019 in response to teacher f...

By the Numbers

Before we get too deep into the nitty-gritty details of AP® World History difficulty, we have to get this out of the way: AP® World History is a very difficult exam.

Exam Structure

Section II — Part A: Document-Based Question — 1 question; 55 minutes (includes a reading period with a suggested time of 15 minutes)

Content

Saying that there is a lot of content to the AP® World History course and exam is an understatement. Remember this course covers all of the history of the entire world throughout the entire time human beings have occupied it. Wow.

Skills Required

Unlike many other courses offered by the College Board, there are no real requirements to taking AP® World History. You just need to be able to read and be willing to work on those critical-thinking skills.

Next Steps

There’s no better time than now to begin thinking about taking the AP® World History course and exam. Before you dive right in, it’s not a bad idea to take a look at some of the textbooks that are out there.

What is AP World?

AP World emphasizes certain skills, including interpreting primary sources and essay writing. While regular World History courses often include those skills, it’s usually not at as high a level. AP World obviously has an AP exam at the end.

Why do people take AP classes?

Most people take APs to boost their GPA, earn college credit, increase chances of college admission, etc. However on a weighted GPA scale, once you’ve taken 9–10 APs throughout your high school career, the increase to your GPA from another AP class taken is insignificant.

Why is MCQ so hard?

This course is difficult because the multiple-choice questions they ask require you to decipher words in a primary source document and use reasoning/logic to arrive at an answer. For the MCQ tests, you don’t even need to know much history or historical context, that’s for the essays, you really need to be good at reading comprehension. They make it unnecessarily hard by providing you answers that are true, but only one of them makes sense in the context of the question. Many students struggle with the MCQ’s and the only way to improve at them is to complete practice problems.

Do you need to know history for MCQ?

For the MCQ tests, you don’t even need to know much history or historical context , that’s for the essays, you really need to be good at reading comprehension. They make it unnecessarily hard by providing you answers that are true, but only one of them makes sense in the context of the question.

Is AP world history daunting?

AP world history seems very daunting at first; you have to have a sufficient understanding of everything that happened from the Neolithic Revolution to the present day. However, the course glides over events rather than delving into the specifics, thus making it far more manageable.

Do APs help your GPA?

Essentially, APs only help your GPA to a point. As for college admissions, most Ivy League Colleges, aka the best colleges around will happily accept 8–12 APs as a competitive candidate for admission, at least in that sector. Bottom Line is, before you even consider how challenging of a class. Michaela Tudor.

GUYS MY AP GOV PARTNER JUST ASKED ME OUT

OK SO there is this really cool and cute guy in my AP gov class who sits next to me and he's the only person I’ve ever spoken to there and we became friends very quickly.

What AP do you guys want College Board to add?

AP Anatomy and Physiology, AP Neuroscience, AP Pathophysiology, AP Biomedical Science, AP Epidemiology. As you can see I want to be a doctor.

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by The Numbers

Why Is AP® World History Difficult?

  • One of the primary reasons that AP® World History ranks so is that there is just a massive amount of information out there. The entirety of world history cannot be understood in a lifetime, let alone a course that you are trying to take advantage of during your high school years. To make matters even trickier, there are quite a few “Key Concepts” t...
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Exam Structure

  • Here is how the exam breaks down: Section I — Part A: Multiple Choice— 55 questions; 55 minutes Section I — Part B: Short-Answer Questions— 4 questions; 50 minutes Section II — Part A: Document-Based Question— 1 question; 55 minutes (includes a reading period with a suggested time of 15 minutes) Section II — Part B: Long Essay Question— 1 question (chosen from a pair); …
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Content

  • Saying that there is a lot of content to the AP® World History course and exam is an understatement. Remember this course covers all of the history of the entire world throughout the entire time human beings have occupied it. Wow. The College Board has broken the course down into six major time periods in order to make this massive amount of information more digestible…
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Skills Required

  • Unlike many other courses offered by the College Board, there are no real requirements to taking AP® World History. You just need to be able to read and be willing to work on those critical-thinking skills. Speaking of critical-thinking skills and history courses, this is something you are going to want to keep in mind when considering the skills necessary to succeed. If you are one o…
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Is AP® World History Worth It?

  • Simply put the AP® World History course and exam is most definitely worth it. We know that we have spent this entire AP® World History study guide telling you how difficult the course and exam are, but all of the skills that you work on for this course will prove utterly helpful in the years to come. First, World History will prove helpful through your high school years, your college days…
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Next Steps

  • There’s no better time than now to begin thinking about taking the AP® World History course and exam. Before you dive right in, it’s not a bad idea to take a look at some of the textbooks that are out there. Once you’ve decided that you want to take the exam, the best thing to do is ask your school about taking the AP® World History course. Even though there are no requirements from …
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