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AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam: A Comprehensive Guide

16/03/2024•9 minute read

Are you ready to learn the inner workings of the United States' political system? The AP U.S. Government and Politics course is your gateway to the principles, structures, and documents that shape the nation's governance. In this comprehensive guide, we'll outline the course content and exam details. We’ll also give you tips on how to succeed on the AP exam!

If you're considering taking the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam, read on to learn all about it. Here’s what’s in store:

Subject Overview
Exam Overview
Exam Scoring
Exam Prep Tips

AP U.S. Government and Politics Subject Overview

In the AP U.S. Government and Politics course, you’ll explore the principles and structures of the United States' political system. You'll also analyze and discuss crucial documents like the U.S. Constitution. And you’ll bring to life what you’ve learned in a research or applied civic project.

Skills you’ll learn in AP U.S. Government and Politics

Explaining how political ideas connect to real situations in everyday life
Talking about why certain decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court are important
Looking at information to find patterns and trends and then figuring out what it all means
Reading and understanding both words and pictures to learn new things
Coming up with an idea and supporting it in an essay

The content of the U.S. Government and Politics course is outlined below:

AP U.S. Government and Politics Course Content

Unit	Topics Covered	On The Exam
Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy	- The ideals of democracy as shown in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution - Federalist and Anti-Federalist views on central government and democracy Separation of powers and “checks and balances” - The relationship between the states and the national government (federalism) - How federalism has been interpreted differently over time	15% - 22% of exam score
Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government	- The structures, powers, and functions of each house of Congress - The roles and powers of the president, Supreme Court, other federal courts, and the federal bureaucracy	25% - 36% of exam score
Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights	- The intent of the Bill of Rights - The First Amendment, the Second Amendment, and Supreme Court interpretations of other amendments - How the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment have motivated social movements	13% - 18% of exam score
Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs	- How cultural and social factors affect citizens’ beliefs about government - How polls are used to gather data about public opinion - The ideologies of the Democratic and Republican parties - How political ideologies affect policy on economic and social issues	10% - 15% of exam score
Unit 5: Political Participation	- Laws that protect the right to vote - Why it’s hard for third parties and independent candidates to succeed - Interest groups and their influence - Campaign finance and its role in elections - The media’s role in elections	20% - 27% of exam score

Prerequisites and Equivalencies

There are no expected prerequisites for AP U.S. Government. The course is equivalent to a one-semester introductory college course in U.S. government.

If your school doesn’t offer AP U.S. Government, don't worry! You can learn everything you need to ace your AP U.S. Government exam with Crimson's online AP U.S. Government and Politics course.

AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam Overview

The College Board tells you exactly what you’ll need to know for the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam.

For detailed information on this course and exam, including a breakdown of each unit, download the College Board’s free AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description.

AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam Sections

The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam takes place on Monday, May 6, 2024 at 8 a.m. local time. It lasts 3 hours total and consists of two sections.

Section I: Multiple Choice

55 questions, 1 hr 20 minutes.
This section includes individual questions as well as sets of questions.
You’ll be asked to:
- Explain and compare political ideas and processes
- Apply Supreme Court decisions to real-life situations
- Analyze data from visual sources like graphs and charts
- Analyze foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources

Section II: Free Response

4 questions, 1 hr 40 minutes
This section includes:
- 1 concept application question: You’ll describe and explain the effects of a political institution and apply the concepts to a new scenario.
- 1 quantitative analysis question: You’ll analyze data to find patterns and reach a conclusion.
- 1 SCOTUS comparison question: You’ll compare a nonrequired Supreme Court case with a required one. You’ll explain how information from the required case is relevant to the nonrequired one.
- 1 argument essay: You’ll write an evidence-based essay supporting a thesis.

AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam Scoring

The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score possible. The scoring breakdown is as follows:

Multiple Choice: 50% of the total exam score
Free Response: 50% of the total exam score

Once all raw scores are calculated, they are converted into scores on a scale of 1 to 5. Converting the scores takes the difficulty of each exam into account and allows for fair comparison of scores across different years.

The average AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam score varies from year to year. In 2023, the average score was 2.59. It’s helpful to consider the overall score distributions, though. These show that 49.2% of students scored a 3 or higher:

12.8% of students scored a 5
11.3% of students scored a 4
25.1% of students scored a 3
34% of students scored a 2
26.8% of students scored a 1

How to Prepare for the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam

The AP U.S. Government and Politics exam covers a huge range of information. To maximize your score, start preparing sooner rather than later! Here are some expert tips to help you prepare effectively:

Download the AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description.
Read exam questions and scoring information from past exams here.
Thoroughly review each unit covered in the course. Make sure you have a solid understanding of key concepts
Practice answering multiple-choice questions to familiarize yourself with the format and content of the exam.
Consider taking advantage of Crimson's online AP tutoring services to get personalized support from experienced tutors.

Conclusion

Now you know what to expect from AP U.S. Government and Politics. After taking the course, you’ll have the skills to analyze political ideas, understand Supreme Court decisions, interpret data, and communicate your insights. Whether you're charting your course through self-study or seeking support from Crimson's online AP tutoring, you're on track to master the course content and ace the exam.

Prepare diligently, aim for that coveted 5 on the exam, and set yourself up for success in both academics and future civic engagement. Happy studying!