2023-2024 Common App essay prompts

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We are pleased to announce that the Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2023-2024.

It’s not just for the sake of consistency that we have chosen to keep the essay prompts the same for the upcoming application year. Our past research has shown that overall satisfaction with the prompts exceeded 95% across our constituent groups - students, counselors, advisors, teachers, and member colleges. Moving forward, we want to learn more about who is choosing certain prompts to see if there are any noteworthy differences among student populations.

We know some schools are beginning to have conversations with juniors and transfer students about their college options. As we’ve always said, this is not a call for students to begin writing. We hope that by sharing the prompts now, students will have the time they need to reflect on their own personal stories and begin thinking about what they want to share with colleges. As you assist students with their planning, feel free to share our Common App Ready resource on approaching the essay (in English and Spanish ). You can also visit our YouTube channel to view our breakdown of all 7 Common App essay prompts . 

"Moving forward, we want to learn more about who is choosing certain prompts to see if there are any noteworthy differences among student populations." Meredith Lombardi, Director, Education and Training, Common App

Students who are ready to start exploring the application can create their Common App account prior to August 1. With account rollover , we will retain any responses to questions on the Common App tab, including the personal essay.

Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2023-2024.

  • Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  • The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
  • Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  • Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
  • Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  • Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
  • Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

We will retain the optional community disruption question within the Writing section. 

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How Can I Be Prepared for the AP US History FRQs?

5 min read • april 17, 2023

Sander Owens

Sander Owens

👋 Worried about the FRQs on an upcoming APUSH exam or the actual AP exam? Don't worry! We're here to help you with a quick overview of what to expect on the Document-Based Question (DBQ) and the Long Essay Question (LEQ), as well as provide some advice from students who have done well on the APUSH exam.

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Image Wikimedia Commons Writing the essays for AP US History takes an immense amount of practice and discipline.

APUSH FRQ Overview

The APUSH FRQ section consists of two essays: the DBQ and the LEQ. The DBQ is an essay in which you have to answer a given prompt using seven documents that interpret the historical event. The LEQ is an essay with a variety of prompts where you have to create an argument without any stimuli.

The biggest advice for doing well on the APUSH essays is planning. Take this student's advice:

"It was much faster to write once I had all of the information planned based on the rubric requirements" - Arthi

It may seem like a waste of time to plan out your essay when you have less than an hour to write, but it makes a difference! You can plan however you plan best: a mental outline, a bulleted list, a more fancy outline, or any other method that works for you.

DBQ Overview

The DBQ is the longer/more involved of the two essays for APUSH. You are given 60 minutes to write it, of which the first 15 are a planning/reading period.

You don't have a choice on the DBQ prompt, but it will only cover a topic from 1754 - 1980 (periods 3-8). The DBQ also includes seven documents that will interpret the events described in the prompt. The first step is to categorize those documents into 2-4 groups based on their common elements/views on the prompt.

You can increase your score just by knowing what to do. Simply writing a strong essay may not score as well if you don't know how to get all the points. Each one of these will score one point unless stated otherwise. Here's a quick, easy-to-read summary of the DBQ rubric:

👩‍⚖️ THESIS: Respond to the prompt with a claim about the prompt. Remember to take a stand on the prompt! An example of this might look like “Railroads supported empire-building by __________ and___________, BUT they undermined it by ________________." Use the categories you developed earlier to help fill in the blanks in your thesis!

🌎 CONTEXTUALIZATION: Describes the broader historical context relevant to the prompt. Think of what happened in the years/centuries leading up to the prompt (big events like global wars, trends, patterns, etc). You MUST connect this to the prompt.

🔍 EVIDENCE FROM THE DOCUMENTS: Use evidence from the docs to prove your point. Do not quote! Just use what the docs are saying to support your argument and cite them like this (2). Using evidence from 3 docs will score in 1 point while using evidence from 6 docs will score 2 points.

🚴‍♀️ OUTSIDE EVIDENCE: Consider people, places, events, and concepts that are NOT discussed anywhere in the documents and connect them to your argument.

🦛 SOURCING/HIPP: For at least 3 documents, you must explain how or why the broader historical context, intended audience, purpose, or point-of-view of a document is relevant to your argument. Use the acronym HIPP to remember this!!

🦄 COMPLEXITY: Demonstrates a deeper understanding of the prompt. You should weave a counter-argument throughout your essay. Don't stress too much about this one! It is pretty hard to get, and it's not something you can really try to add.

One of the easiest ways to get all of these points is to write it all down in a checklist next to your planning and tick them off as you go through.

"When I write essays, I like to have a checklist with me so I can keep count of what points I am confident I have earned" - Anna

Here's an outline that will help you write a concise, great essay!

👋 INTRO: 3-4 sentences of context to explain background information and relate it directly to the topic of the prompt. 1-2 sentence thesis statement that restates prompt + provides an argument.

👕 BODY PARAGRAPHS (INCLUDE AS MANY AS YOU HAVE CATEGORIES): Add a topic sentence to introduce your argument. Explain a piece of evidence from a document to back you up and connect that evidence directly to your argument. Source the document (HIPP)—choose Historical Context, Intended Audience, Purpose, or POV. Then, include a piece of evidence not mentioned anywhere in the documents and explain this outside evidence to strengthen your essay.

🧐 CONCLUSION: Sum up your argument with a counterargument, and rephrase your thesis. You can earn the thesis point here if it wasn't strong enough in the intro.

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Image Wikimedia Commons Hopefully this guide can serve as your map to success!

LEQ Overview

The LEQ is the shorter of the two essays—you only have 45 minutes to write it. However, you have a choice between three prompts based on the periods: 1491 - 1800, 1800 - 1898, and 1898 - 2001. All three prompts will be about similar themes, so pick the one you can write about the most!

Like the DBQ, knowing the rubric is crucial! Each one of these will score one point unless stated otherwise.

🔍 EVIDENCE (x2): Provide specific historical examples to support your argument. These are specific people, places, and events. Explain your terms, and then connect it to your argument.

📚 HISTORICAL REASONING: Use comparison, causation, or CCOT to answer the prompt. You can answer the prompt using any skill, but choose one and stick to it!

Helpful Links

📰 Our Ultimate Guide to the DBQ!

📺 Replay of a Live LEQ Scoring stream with someone who has been an AP Reader!

📝 Replay of a DBQ Skills Stream!

🌶️ Complete Review of APUSH Content with Possible Essay Topics by Period!

A Word of Encouragement...

Throughout your review, remember these simple words: you will do fantastic! If you're reading this guide, it means you are taking steps to prepare for your exam. By following some of the advice we have given, you will become a much better writer and allow you to nail those essays!

You got this! 🎉

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the ultimate guide to the ap us history exam.

Advanced Placement (AP)

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The AP US History exam involves critical reading, writing, and in-depth analysis. It's not just about memorizing names and dates, but rather interpreting historical evidence quickly and accurately, recalling outside information on a topic, and synthesizing your ideas into a coherent argument.

In this guide, we'll give you a rundown of the format and structure of the AP US History test along with a brief content outline, sample questions, and some tips for a great score .

How Is the AP US History Exam Structured?

The next AP US History test will be administered on Friday, May 5, 2023, at 8 AM . This AP exam is three hours and 15 minutes long and consists of two main sections, each of which is divided into a Part A and a Part B.

Before we get into the details of each part, here's an overview of the US History test as a whole:

Section 1, Part A: Multiple Choice

The first section on the test is the multiple-choice section, which is worth 40% of your score and lasts for 55 minutes. You'll get 55 questions, each with four possible answer choices (labeled A-D); this means that you'll have about a minute per question on this part of the exam.

Most US History multiple-choice questions come in sets of three to four questions that require you to respond to certain stimuli, or sources, such as historical texts, graphs, and maps.

Section 1, Part B: Short Answer

Part B of Section 1 on the US History test requires you to answer three short-answer questions in 40 minutes , giving you about 13 minutes per question. It's worth 20% of your overall score.

The first two questions are required, but you get to choose between question 3 and question 4 for your third short answer . Here's what you can expect with each question:

Section 2, Part A: Document-Based Question

The Document-Based Question, or DBQ , is worth 25% of your final score and requires you to write an essay based on a prompt that's accompanied by seven historical documents . You'll get a 15-minute reading period followed by 45 minutes to write your response.

The DBQ will focus on a historical development in the years 1754-1980.

Section 2, Part B: Long Essay

The final part of the AP US History test is the Long Essay, for which you must choose one of three possible prompts and write an essay on the topic. You'll have 40 minutes to write your response, which will count for 15% of your overall AP score.

To earn full credit here, you must develop a clear and logical argument and support it with relevant historical evidence (which won't be directly provided to you as it will be on the DBQ).

Each of the three essay prompts revolves around a different time period in US history:

  • Essay Prompt 1: 1491-1800
  • Essay Prompt 2: 1800-1898
  • Essay Prompt 3: 1890-2001

Content Background for the AP US History Exam

There are eight themes addressed in the AP US History course , and all of them show up in one form or another on the exam across the nine units, or time periods . Each represents a subset of learning objectives that students are expected to master. You can read more about these learning objectives in the AP US History Course and Exam Description .

Before I give you a broad overview of the eight themes, let's take a look at how the major units are weighted on the AP US History exam :

Below, we give you the definition of each course theme as described in the AP US History Course Description.

Theme 1: American and National Identity

Focuses on how and why definitions of American and national identity and values have developed among the diverse and changing population of North America as well as on related topics, such as citizenship, constitutionalism, foreign policy, assimilation, and American exceptionalism.

Theme 2: Work, Exchange, and Technology

Focuses on the factors behind the development of systems of economic exchange, particularly the role of technology, economic markets, and government.

Theme 3: Geography and the Environment

Focuses on the role of geography and both the natural and human-made environments in the social and political developments in what would become the United States.

Theme 4: Migration and Settlement

Focuses on why and how the various people who moved to and within the United States both adapted to and transformed their new social and physical environments.

Theme 5: Politics and Power

Focuses on how different social and political groups have influenced society and government in the United States as well as how political beliefs and institutions have changed over time.

Theme 6: America in the World

Focuses on the interactions between nations that affected North American history in the colonial period and on the influence of the United States on world affairs.

Theme 7: American and Regional Culture

Focuses on how and why national, regional, and group cultures developed and changed as well as how culture has shaped government policy and the economy.

Theme 8: Social Structures

Focuses on how and why systems of social organization develop and change as well as the impact that these systems have on the broader society.

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Sample AP US History Questions

Now that you have a sense of the test content, I'll present you with sample questions to give you a better idea of what the AP US History exam actually looks like. All sample questions come from the official US History Course and Exam Description .

Sample Multiple-Choice Question

For multiple choice, you're given one or two pieces of historical evidence followed by a set of questions that ask you to do some analysis . The US History exam is less about knowing specific dates and names and more about being able to draw conclusions and connect themes based on materials provided by the test.

body_ap_us_history_multiple_choice_question

To answer this question, you don't even really need to know much about US history, as long as you pay attention to exactly what's written in the passage, or the secondary source you've been given. The passage here is mainly focused on the increase in commerce in New York as a result of the opening of the Erie Canal.

Answer choice A mentions commerce—that's a good sign—but specifically commerce with Native Americans, who are not mentioned at all in the passage, so this is unlikely to be the right answer.

Answer choice B discusses increased access to markets in the United States, which seems to echo what the passage says about commerce in New York. We'll hold onto this as a potential answer.

Answer choice C is all about the internal slave trade, which isn't mentioned at all in the secondary source, so we can assume this is wrong.

Answer choice D talks about agricultural production, which, again, isn't the focus of the passage—that's commerce. As a result, we can cross this off our list.

This means that the only logical answer to choose is answer choice B .

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Sample Short-Answer Question

The short-answer questions are technically considered part of the multiple-choice section because they're less involved than the essay questions. Alt hough they do have multiple parts, you don't have to come up with a thesis—one-sentence answers are OK. These questions are about succinctly connecting themes and reference materials to specific events or trends.

Here's an example:

body_ap_us_history_short_answer_question

This short-answer question is an example of question 1, which comes with two secondary sources. As you can see, you'll have to answer three separate parts (A, B, and C), each of which is worth 1 point ; this means you can earn up to 3 points for each short-answer question.

Here's how you could earn full credit for this sample question, per the official scoring guidelines .

(A) Sample Answers

  • Peiss argues that pursuits of entertainment in dance halls by working class women created new, legitimate social spaces for women, however Enstand argues that working women's participation in labor politics gave them a new voice and place in the public sphere.
  • Peiss links the growth of women in public social life to a commercial culture that provided opportunities for women to enter the public sphere while Enstand argues that women became political actors who demanded a public voice.

(B) Sample Answers

  • Like the dance halls, department stores and amusement parks became aspects of the commercial culture that represented new opportunities for women to enjoy public places as legitimate participants.
  • The concept of the New Woman became a cultural phenomenon, as the older idea of separate spheres diminished. The idea of the New Woman supported a more public role for women in the early 1900s.
  • The growth of cities and urban America gave young women more opportunities to leave rural America and participate in the developments described by Peiss.
  • New technologies such as electric lighting made possible new public spaces for personal freedom for women.

(C) Sample Answers

  • Women's participation in the suffrage movement, settlement house work, temperance organizing, and the Progressive movement all contributed to modern attitudes about women and increased their roles in the public sphere.
  • The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution gave women the vote and a voice in politics.
  • Women were the main participants in the New York shirtwaist strike of 1909. During this strike women made public demands like those described by Enstad.
  • Women organized or participated in labor unions such as the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) which is an example of their growing voice in the public sphere.
  • Working-class women had key public roles in the successful Lawrence (Massachusetts) textile strike of 1912, this demonstrates that women became active political voices through labor movements.

body_old_us_historical_documents

Sample Document-Based Question

With the DBQ , you'll have seven different historical documents to examine . To earn full credit, you must use at least six documents as evidence in your answer. These documents range from transcripts of folk songs, to excerpts from letters and newspapers, to demographic maps.

Here's an example of a DBQ (with one document shown):

body_ap_us_history_dbq

There are several components of a solid response to this question. The DBQ is worth a total of 7 raw points . Here's how you could earn full credit, according to the scoring guidelines .

Sample Long Essay Question

For the Long Essay, you must choose between three prompts . Here's an example of a potential prompt:

body_ap_us_history_long_essay_sample_question

Your essay should include many of the same elements as your answer to the DBQ, but there are no documents to analyze and reference , so you'll have less time to write. The essay is worth 6 raw points .

Here's how you could earn full credit for the sample question above, per the scoring guidelines .

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How Is the AP US History Exam Scored?

Here, we'll go over how each section on the AP US History exam is scored, scaled, and combined to give you your final AP score on the 1-5 scale .

On the multiple-choice section, you earn 1 raw point for each question you answer correctly; this means that the max score you can earn here is 55 points. No points are taken off for incorrect answers.

Each of the three short-answer questions is worth 3 points, so there are 9 points possible in this section.

The DBQ is scored out of 7 points and is based on the following criteria, per the scoring guide :

  • Thesis/claim: 1 point
  • Contextualization: 1 point
  • Evidence from the documents: 2 points
  • Evidence beyond the documents: 1 point
  • Sourcing: 1 point
  • Complexity: 1 point

Lastly, the Long Essay is out of 6 raw points and is scored using the following criteria:

  • Evidence: 2 points
  • Analysis and reasoning: 2 points

On essay questions, points are taken off for errors only if they detract from the quality of the argument being made (in other words, don't go making up historical facts to support your argument). Grammatical and other technical errors aren't a big deal as long as they don't inhibit the grader's ability to understand what your essay is saying.

The total number of raw points you can earn on the AP US History test is 77:

  • 55 points for the Multiple Choice questions
  • 9 points for the Short Answer questions
  • 7 points for the DBQ
  • 6 points for the Long Essay

Raw scores can be converted to scaled scores out of 150 . Here's how to do that for each section:

  • Multiple Choice: Multiply your raw multiple-choice section score out of 55 by 1.09
  • Short Answer: Multiply your raw short-answer score out of 9 by 3.33
  • DBQ: Multiply your raw DBQ score out of 7 by 5.36
  • Long Essay: Multiply your raw Long Essay score out of 6 by 3.75

Finally, add all the scores together to get your final scaled AP score for US History! Here is a chart to show you approximately how these scaled scores translate to final AP scores:

Source: The College Board

I made my best estimates based on other AP score conversion charts because there was no official scaled-to-AP-score conversion chart online for US History. Your AP teacher or review book might have a more accurate score conversion system you can use for official practice tests.

4 Essential Tips for Acing the AP US History Exam

AP US History is a grueling test that requires intense critical thinking and analytical skills. Here are some helpful tips to remember if you hope to do well on test day.

#1: Don't Confuse Accurate Facts for Correct Answers

Many multiple-choice questions will list answers that are accurate representations of historical events or trends but that don't directly respond to the question being asked . Be wary of these answers on the test so you don't accidentally choose them over more relevant responses.

In the multiple-choice question I gave above as an example, one incorrect choice was "The growth in the internal slave trade." At the time referenced in the question, this was a real trend that occurred, but because it doesn't relate directly to the passage given, it's still the wrong answer .

Don't let these types of answer choices confuse you; adhere to the particulars of the question and the evidence presented to you!

#2: Pay Attention to Details—Read Excerpts Carefully

Most of this AP exam is based on historical reference materials, meaning that you won't be able to answer questions correctly without reading carefully. Even if you know everything there is to know about US History, that knowledge will mostly just serve to contextualize the evidence presented on the test. The specific details found in the writings and images will ultimately reveal the best answer choice.

#3: Plan Before You Write

It's critical to write well-organized, focused essays on the AP US History test. A clear thesis is the first thing on the agenda. You then need to make sure that the rest of your essay ties back into your thesis and provides relevant evidence throughout. If you jump into writing an essay without taking the time to organize your thoughts, you're more likely to ramble or get off-topic from the main focus of the question.

For the DBQ, you should spend 15 of the 60 minutes planning how to organize your thoughts and how to use the different documents as evidence. While you will have less time for the Long Essay, you should still spend five minutes or so writing a brief outline before starting your final draft.

#4: Use Outside Evidence Wisely

It's a smart idea to incorporate additional background knowledge into your DBQ and Long Essay responses on the AP US History test. It shows that you've mastered the material and can connect themes to what you learned in class and not just what was presented to you in the question.

That said, don't include outside knowledge unless it really bolsters your argument . If you're just sticking it in there to prove how much you know, your essay will lack focus and you might lose points.

This is why it's so important to plan ahead. In the planning stage, you can think of examples that tie into your thesis and strategically place them throughout your essay in ways that contribute to your point.

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Conclusion: Getting a Great Score on the AP US History Exam

The AP US History exam is one of the longer AP tests, and it has four different types of questions: Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Document-Based Question (DBQ), and Long Essay.

The main thread running through this test is an emphasis on analyzing historical evidence and applying outside knowledge in context. In your studying, you will need to learn to connect the themes of the course to events spanning 500 years of US history.

Here are some study tips to heed as you prep for the AP US History test:

  • Don't mistake accurate facts for correct answers
  • Always read excerpts carefully
  • Plan before writing your essays
  • Use outside evidence strategically

Make sure that you practice all the different types of exam questions with official materials before you sit down to take the real test . If you get used to thinking about history in an analytical, evidence-based context, you should have no problem earning a high US History score!

What's Next?

Looking for more practice materials? Check out our article on the best online quizzes you can take to prepare for the AP US History test !

Review books can be extremely helpful tools in preparing for AP exams. If you can't decide which one to get, take a look at this list of the best review books for the AP US History test .

Did you lose some of your notes? Feel free to use these links to AP US History notes for every section of the course .

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Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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How to Prep for APUSH Essays

prep apush essays

Preparation is key to writing a quality APUSH essay. Knowing what and how to write are both skills that you can improve and cultivate through practice. Use the following suggestions to help you prep for your upcoming APUSH essays.

APUSH essays: long essay, short answer or DBQ?

APUSH exams actually contain three different types of essays: long essay, short answer and Data-Based Question (DBQ) . Each asks you to analyze and synthesize historical data, but vary in response format and content. Visit AP College Board to take a closer look at individual APUSH essay requirements.

Short Answer Response: 3 questions, 40 minute response time

Technically, short answer is not an essay at all, but rather a paragraph (or two) that concisely explain your ideas on a topic or prompt. Even though you are not writing a full-length essay for this section, keep in mind that your response still needs to read coherently and maintain focus – just like a standard writing. Short answer responses require three individual answers (parts A, B, C), each worth one point.

Data-based Question Essay: 1 question, 60 minutes response time

The DBQ essay focuses on topics exclusively from periods 3-8. In this section, you are given a series of historical documents that you must cite as evidence throughout your essay. Documents come in various forms: written materials, illustrations, graphs, charts or pictures.

A successful DBQ answer demonstrates the relationship between the provided document and a historical time period or theme. Cite the documents as evidence as well as use them to formulate an argument or express an opinion in order to maximize your DBQ score.

Long Essay: 1 question, 40 minutes response time

An update for the 2017-18, you can now choose from a selection of three essay topics: periods 1-3, 4-6 or 7-9. Each APUSH essay option focuses on the same themes and writing requirements, so choose the time period that best fits your skill set.

The long essay section is exactly what you expect from a typical essay: topic sentence, body paragraphs that cite historical evidence, strong closing. Add more paragraphs as necessary, but never write less than 5. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the depth of your APUSH knowledge, as well as your ability to make connections between historical time periods and content.

How to prepare an APUSH essay format

Regardless of format, APUSH essay responses that fully answer the question prompt and cite evidence tend to score the best. However, if essay-writing is not one of your current strengths, there are some tips you can follow to make writing in an APUSH essay format much easier.

1. Read the question prompt.

All the way through. At least twice. You may see the term “AP” in this section. In this case, “AP” does not stand for “Advance Placement”, but rather “address prompt”.

What is this prompt actually asking you to write? How are they asking you to write your response? Look for keywords such as compare/contrast, analyze or evaluate. These words are good indicators into which direction your APUSH essay should head.

There may be several, especially if you are being asked to state an opinion or formulate an argument. Note any commonalities between the documents. Do they share similar themes? Are they written by the same author? Do they represent ideals or events of a certain time period?

In order to best recall main events of a historical time period, AP College Board recommends using the acronym PERSIA. Essays that include the Political, Economic, Religious, Social, Intellectual and Artistic aspects of a certain time period show an overall understanding of historical context.

For short answer or DBQ essays, this may not be necessary, so use your best judgement. However, we recommend using a quick outline to help focus your thinking before writing your long essay. Taking a few minutes to organize your thoughts by jotting down notes or ideas that will help frame your thinking and make writing a structured essay much easier.

Practice makes perfect

Writing a quality essay is a skill. Like any skill, the more you practice, the better you get. Over the course of your APUSH study sessions, aim to write a total of 3-4 essays per section. If writing essays proves to be difficult, consider writing more often in order to hone your skills.

Even though it may seem daunting, also remember to practice your writing during timed sessions . Timing your writing helps you become aware of areas you may need to work on. It also forces you to focus your efforts into completing the prompt in its entirety each time you write. This is a great way to assess different areas of your writing process, so that you can make adjustments accordingly.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., guide to the ap u.s. history exam.

AP US History Exam

The AP ® U.S. History exam, also known as APUSH, is a college-level exam administered every year in May upon the completion of an Advanced Placement U.S. History course taken at your high school. If you score high enough, you could earn college credit!

Check out our AP U.S. History Guide for the essential info you need about the exam:

  • AP U.S. History Exam Overview
  • AP U.S. History Sections & Question Types
  • AP U.S. History Scoring
  • How to Prepare

What's on the AP U.S. History Exam?

The College Board requires your AP teacher to cover certain topics in the AP U.S. History course. As you complete your APUSH review, make sure you are familiar with the following topics:

  • Period 1 (1491–1607) : Native American Societies Before European Contact; European Exploration in the Americas; Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest; Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System; Cultural Interactions Between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans
  • Period 2 (1607–1754) : European Colonization; The Regions of British Colonies; Transatlantic Trade; Interactions Between American Indians and Europeans; Slavery in the British Colonies; Colonial Society and Culture
  • Period 3 (1754–1800) : The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War); Taxation Without Representation; Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution; The American Revolution; The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals; The Articles of Confederation; The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification; The Constitution; Shaping a New Republic; Developing an American Identity; Movement in the Early Republic
  • Period 4 (1800–1848) : The Rise of Political Parties and the Era of Jefferson; Politics and Regional Interests; America on the World Stage; Market Revolution: Industrialization; Market Revolution: Society and Culture; Expanding Democracy; Jackson and Federal Power; The Development of an American Culture; The Second Great Awakening; An Age of Reform; African Americans in the Early Republic; The Society of the South in the Early Republic
  • Period 5 (1844–1877) : Manifest Destiny; The Mexican–American War; The Compromise of 1850; Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences; Failure of Compromise; Election of 1860 and Secession; Military Conflict in the Civil War; Government Policies During the Civil War; Reconstruction; Failure of Reconstruction
  • Period 6 (1865–1898) : Westward Expansion: Economic Development; Westward Expansion: Social and Cultural Development; The “New South”; Technological Innovation; The Rise of Industrial Capitalism; Labor in the Gilded Age; Immigration and Migration in the Gilded Age; Responses to Immigration in the Gilded Age; Development of the Middle Class; Reform in the Gilded Age; Controversies over the Role of Government in the Gilded Age; Politics in the Gilded Age
  • Period 7 (1890–1945) : Imperialism: Debates; The Spanish–American War; The Progressives; World War I: Military and Diplomacy; World War I: Home Front; 1920s: Innovations in Communication and Technology; 1920s: Cultural and Political Controversies; The Great Depression; The New Deal; Interwar Foreign Policy; World War II: Mobilization; World War II: Military; Postwar Diplomacy
  • Period 8 (1945–1980) : The Cold War from 1945 to 1980; The Red Scare; Economy after 1945; Culture after 1945; Early Steps in the Civil Rights Movement (1940s and 1950s); America as a World Power; The Vietnam War; The Great Society; The African American Civil Rights Movement (1960s); The Civil Rights Movement Expands; Youth Culture of the 1960s; The Environment and Natural Resources from 1968 to 1980; Society in Transition
  • Period 9 (1980–Present): Reagan and Conservatism; The End of the Cold War; A Changing Economy; Migration and Immigration in the 1990s and 2000s; Challenges of the 21 st Century

Read More: Review for the exam with our AP U.S. History Crash Courses

Sections & Question Types

The APUSH exam takes 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete and is comprised of two sections: a multiple-choice/short answer section and a a free response section. There are two parts to each section.

APUSH Multiple Choice Questions

Questions are grouped into sets of three or four questions and based on a primary source, secondary source, or historical issue. Each set of questions is based on a different piece of source material. This section will test your ability to analyze and engage with the source materials while recalling what you already know about U.S. history.

APUSH Short Answer Questions

The three questions in this section will be tied to a primary source, historical argument, data or maps, or general propositions of U.S. history. Students are required to answer the first and second questions and then answer either the third or the fourth question. You are not required to develop and support a thesis statement, but you must describe examples of historical evidence relevant to the source or question.

APUSH Document-Based Question (DBQ)

The DBQ question requires you to answer a question based on seven primary source documents and your knowledge of the subject and time period. All the documents will pertain to a single subject. Students should develop an argument about the question and use the documents to support this argument.

APUSH Long Essay Question

For the long essay question, you’ll be given a choice of three essay options on the same theme, and you must choose one. You must develop and defend a relevant thesis, but there won’t be any documents on which you must base your response. Instead, you’ll need to draw upon your own knowledge of topics you learned in your AP U.S. History class.

For a comprehensive content review, check out our book,  AP U.S. History Prep

What’s a good AP U.S. History Score?

AP scores are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP U.S. History exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. Here’s how students scored on the May 2020 test:

Source: College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP U.S. History content and strategy, pick the  AP prep option  that works best for your goals and learning style. 

  • AP Exams  

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apush essay prompts 2023

What are the 2023-24 Common App essay prompts?

Jul 25, 2023 • knowledge, information, below is the full set of common app essay prompts for 2023-24..

  • Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  • The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
  • Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  • Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
  • Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  • Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
  • Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

We will also retain the optional COVID-19 question within the Additional Information section.

apush essay prompts 2023

AP US History Exam 2024

The 2024 AP exams will take place over a two-week period in May: May 6–10 and May 13–17.

The AP US History exam for 2024 will be a full-length paper-and-pencil exam that students can take in school only. 

Here is what you need to know to do well in the upcoming APUSH exam.

Will I get college credit for the 2024 APUSH exam?

Students who take the 2024 APUSH exam will be eligible for college credit.

As in previous years, a student must obtain a score of 3, 4, or 5 to be eligible for college credit. 

For tips on getting a perfect AP score, check out this interview with Dawn Mueller, an educational consultant with Tutor Doctor. 

And if you’re looking for further insights and resources to help you with your college journey, consider checking out TUN AI . Our ethical, AI-powered platform uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to guide students through the college selection and application process, providing personalized recommendations and valuable insights that help students make informed decisions about their academic future.

Can I take the 2024 APUSH exam virtually?

The 2024 APUSH exam is one of the few AP exams that’s available as a digital exam in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. However, the digital exam is optional and it is up to individual schools to decide if they want to offer a digital, paper, or a combination of paper and digital exam. So check with your school to see which format is being offered.

No matter how you take the 2024 APUSH exam, the schedule, content and applicable rules will be the same, though.

How long is the 2024 APUSH exam?

The 2024 APUSH exam will be 3 hours, 15 minutes long. 

What’s the 2024 APUSH exam date and time?

The 2024 APUSH exam is scheduled for Friday, May 10 at 8 AM local time .  

What will be tested on the 2024 APUSH exam?

The 2024 APUSH exam will test students on the whole course content, so be prepared to answer questions on these topics:

  • Unit 1: Period 1: 1491-1607
  • Unit 2: Period 2: 1607-1754
  • Unit 3: Period 3: 1754-1800 
  • Unit 4: Period 4: 1800-1848
  • Unit 5: Period 5: 1844-1877
  • Unit 6: Period 6: 1865-1898
  • Unit 7: Period 7: 1890-1945
  • Unit 8: Period 8: 1945-1980
  • Unit 9: Period 9: 1980-Present

What is the APUSH exam format for 2024?

The 2024 APUSH exam will consist of two sections. The first section is worth 60 percent of the exam, and the second section is worth 40 percent of the exam.

In the first section, you will have 55 minutes to answer 55 multiple-choice questions and 40 minutes to answer 3 short answer questions. The first two short answer questions are required, but you can choose between two prompts to answer the third question. 

In the second section, you will have 1 hour to answer 1 document-based question and 40 minutes to answer 1 long essay question. 

The chart below shows the breakdown of the exam components.

Does the College Board offer any free APUSH exam prep resources? 

The College Board is offering a number of free APUSH exam resources to students to help them prepare for the exam.

APUSH Practice Tests

You can get examples of free-response questions from past APUSH exams for free. You can use these as practice tests to supplement other test prep materials you use.

You can get the 2023 APUSH free-response questions now: check here for the first set and here for the second set.

And check here for free-response questions from the 2015-2022 APUSH exams.

APUSH Courses

The College Board’s AP YouTube channel gives students access to APLive classes and recordings delivered by AP teachers from across the country. Additionally, to help students review course content and skills before their exam, the College Board gives students access to the AP Daily: Live Review sessions for the 2024 APUSH exam .

What are my other options for preparing for the 2024 APUSH exam?

If you don’t have an AP US History review book already, consider getting one sooner than later  to help you prepare for the 2024 APUSH exam. You can find popular review books published by Barron’s, The Princeton Review, and others at Amazon . 

The AP U.S. History Premium, 2024: 5 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review + Online Practice (Barron’s AP) , for example, which is rated 4.7 stars, costs just $16.89 new to buy (at the time of writing of this article).

The Princeton Review AP U.S. History Premium Prep, 23rd Edition: 6 Practice Tests + Complete Content Review + Strategies & Techniques (2024) (College Test Preparation) is available for $22.99  (at the time of writing of this article).

If you prefer to get a book with fewer practice tests, the Princeton Review AP U.S. History Prep, 23rd Edition: 3 Practice Tests + Complete Content Review + Strategies & Techniques (2024) (College Test Preparation) 23rd Edition costs $20.89 (at the time of writing of this article).

There are also online resources that you can use to help you prepare for the 2024 APUSH exam.

Khan Academy

In partnership with the College Board, Khan Academy provides an official AP US History course that comes with free instructional videos, articles, and practice exercises created by current and former AP teachers. In addition, Khan Academy offers free exam skills and strategies.

If you’re taking more than one AP exam in 2024, check out TUN’s AP Exam Review for details on other AP exams.

apush essay prompts 2023

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It’s All Happening Online —Useful Links

AP Central & YouTube -- Finding your way around the Advanced Placement website can be tricky. Direct links listed below (with some of those acronyms defined).

  • AP Language Home Page -- Classroom Resources
  • AP Language Exam -- CED (Course and Exam Description), 2021 FRQ (Free Response Questions), and Past Exam FRQs (from 1999).
  • AP Literature Home Page -- Classroom Resources
  • AP Literature Exam -- CED (Course and Exam Description), 2021 FRQ (Free Response Questions), and Past Exam FRQs (from 1999).
  • AP Teacher Community (Skip Nicholson) -- Join the AP English community, a combined group for Language & Literature. New version of the old ListServ .
  • AP Language YouTube Channel (Live Review) -- 11 videos
  • AP Literature YouTube Channel (Live Review) -- 10 videos

AP English FaceBook Groups

  • A P Language and Composition Teachers (Kristy Seidel)
  • A P Literature and Composition (Brian Sztabnik)
  • A P Literature and Composition Teachers (Michael Yeakey & Heather Davide Carlotz)

Teacher Sites -- Where have all the teachers gone? On sabbatical, into administration, to commercial sites, to retirement. So sorry.

  • Tim Freitas’ The Garden of English : Delightful, often surprising viewpoint. Sense of humor meets excellence. Love all the videos, handouts and posters.
  • Susa n Barber’s and Brian Sztabnik’s Much Ado About Teachin g : The reincarnation of AP LIT Help. These gifted inspiring teachers have mastered the ability to explain everything AP clearly. Articles, videos, handouts are amazing.
  • Beth Hall’s Coach Hall Writes offersmany free AP Language materials with links to Teachers Pay Teachers materials. Subscribe to her YouTube channel for excellent, focused videos.
  • Brian Tolentino shares dozens of short videos on his YouTube Channel, Tolentino Teaching . SAT Vocabulary and Rhetorical Terms are especially helpful.
  • Kristian Kuhn’s home page shares some excellent assignments. Teachers Teaching Writing , his YouTube channel has dozens of clever, useful videos for AP Literature.
  • Susan Barber’s Teach with Class site offers Teacher Resources.
  • Jerry Brown’ s website has buried treasure, well worth seeking.
  • Don Pogebra’s Quixotic Pedagogue : Gorgeous website with generous materials. Retired.
  • Ronnie Campagna’s DropBox is a wealth of materials. Please download; do not delete or move.
  • Dawn Hogue’s Online English Resources provides a Teacher’s Toolbox and other online resources for AP and regular classes.
  • M sEffie’s LifeSavers : Several ways to get there – Google “mseffie” [first hit], use the short domain router (mseffie.com). Mine. What can I say? Such a nerd!

Terminology

  • Brian Tolentino Teaching includes 35 term specific videos
  • Dictionary of Literary Terms (Joel Littauer)
  • Literary History
  • Literary Terms and Definitions (Kip Wheeler)
  • Handbook of Rhetorical Devices (Robert Harris)
  • Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms -- videos for more than 60 terms
  • Poetic Terms (Robert Shubinsky)

Writing Help

  • Elements of Style
  • Guide to Grammar and Writing
  • Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab )

Literary Theory and Criticism

  • Literary Resources on the Net (Jack Lynch)
  • Literary Theory and Criticism (Brigham Young University)
  • Guide to Critical Theory (Dino Felluga)
  • Introduction to Modern Literary Theory (Kristi Siegel)

Miscellaneous Resources -- $ Resource Requiring Payment

  • TeachIt is a United Kingdom site (for their teachers) whose worksheets approach texts in a different way than we do. Though designed for their “regular” classes, the emphasis is usually on the kind of analysis we do in Advanced Placement classes. PDF files are free to download if you register. 
  • Thought.Co Writing is the old About.com and offers a disorganized but intriguing mess of articles on language, literature, art, and more -- tips on grammar, sample paragraphs of every mode, suggestted topic lists, critical analyses, passages by well-known authors focusing on specific stylistic traits, and so on. The short introductions analyze each piece and help focus discussion.
  • TED Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing -- Based upon the regular TED Talks and a library of original animated videos, TedEd provides a platform for teachers to share lessons based on the videos.
  • CrackAP.com -- provides free access to 50+ practice multiple-choice exams on various passages, many of them from previous AP exams. A very awkward confusing site, but students get immediate assessment and explanations. Just IGNORE all the pop-ups & exterior clicks. AP Language Practices . AP Literature Practices .
  • PrepScholar -- One-stop location for every AP Literature Practice Test available, free & official, including many older ones not available at AP Central. AP Language . AP Literature .
  • $ Applied Practice -- Resource Guides for more than 100 titles. Each includes AP style multiple-choice and free response questions withy answers. With explanations of answers. Other stuff available, too.
  • $ Prestwick House -- Reasonably priced packages include Activity Packs , Response Journals , Literature Teaching Units , AP Teaching Units , and Multiple Critical Perspectives , Response Journals , and Activity Packs . Samples available to download to check them out. (Free Crossword Puzzles and free Posters .)

Links to My Pages with Handouts & URLs for Specific Major Works

“The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

You may find other useful materials at Assignments , Handouts OR Yummy Bytes .

If you download or print anything from this site, please consider making at least a $10.00 donation through PayPal. I can maintain and expand this website only with your help.

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  4. Thesis Statement Formula Apush

    apush essay prompts 2023

  5. 60+ College Essay Prompts for 2023-2024 Applicants

    apush essay prompts 2023

  6. apush thesis examples

    apush essay prompts 2023

VIDEO

  1. 11 3 2023 APUSH Effects of the Industrial Revolution III edit

  2. 11 17 2023 APUSH Texas

  3. How to NAIL the UC Essay Prompts (pt. 3)

  4. AP U.S. History Review with Tom Richey

  5. 12 8 2023 APUSH DBQ, John Brown & 1860

  6. 10 2 2023 APUSH Shays II & Brainstorm List

COMMENTS

  1. PDF AP United States History

    UNITED STATES HISTORY SECTION I, Part B Time—40 minutes Directions: Answer Question 1 and Question 2. Answer either Question 3 or Question 4. Write your responses in the Section I, Part B: Short-Answer Response booklet. You must write your response to each question on the lined page designated for that response.

  2. PDF AP United States History 2023 Free-Response Questions: Set 1

    AP ® United States History 2023 Free-Response Questions "[The Standard Oil Trust] is the most perfectly developed trust in existence. . . . The perfection of the organization of [it], the ability and daring with which it has carried out its projects, make it the preeminent trust of the world. . . .

  3. AP United States History Exam

    8 AM Local AP U.S. History Exam Add to Calendar Exam Format The AP U.S. History Exam has consistent question types, weighting, and scoring guidelines, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day. Section I, Part A: Multiple Choice 55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score Questions usually appear in sets of 3-4 questions.

  4. AP United States History Exam

    Exam Duration 3hrs 15mins Exam Date Fri, May 10, 2024 8 AM Local AP U.S. History Exam This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP United States History Exam. Details Add to Calendar Exam Components Expand All Collapse All Section IA: Multiple Choice 55 questions 55mins 40% of Score

  5. 2023-2024 Common App essay prompts

    Common App essay prompts for 2023-2024 will remain unchanged as last year's prompts received a satisfaction rating of over 95% from students, counselors, advisors, teachers, and colleges.

  6. AP United States History

    Fri, May 10, 2024 8 AM Local AP U.S. History Exam This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP United States History Exam. Details Add to Calendar About the Units The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course.

  7. How To Prepare for the APUSH FRQs: DBQ & LEQ Overview

    The APUSH FRQ section consists of two essays: the DBQ and the LEQ. The DBQ is an essay in which you have to answer a given prompt using seven documents that interpret the historical event. The LEQ is an essay with a variety of prompts where you have to create an argument without any stimuli. The biggest advice for doing well on the APUSH essays ...

  8. How to Approach the AP U.S. History Long Essay Question

    Step 1: Analyze the Prompt. Each long essay question will ask you to "evaluate the extent" of some factor in American history. Since you are evaluating, you will need to develop an argument that addresses the prompt. Make sure to read all three prompts carefully. Think of the evidence you could use and the argument you could develop in ...

  9. The Ultimate APUSH DBQ Guide: Rubric, Examples, and More!

    Of the two free response questions, one is a long essay (worth 15%) and one is a DBQ. This means that the sole DBQ is, by itself, worth 25% of your total grade, making it the single most heavily-weighted question on the APUSH exam.. The APUSH DBQ will consist of a single open-ended prompt.To answer it, you'll have to create a persuasive argument that uses the documents you've been given on ...

  10. 2023 Compiled AP Test Released FRQ Questions : r/APStudents

    Congratulations on officially finishing your 2023 AP Exams! Attached below are all of the released official 2023 AP FRQ prompts for each AP Exam! Please note that for some AP exams, only one set of FRQs were released. If your set isn't shown below, that means yours wasn't one of the main forms and/or you did late testing.

  11. The Ultimate Guide to the AP US History Exam

    Essay Prompt 1: 1491-1800; Essay Prompt 2: 1800-1898; Essay Prompt 3: 1890-2001 . Content Background for the AP US History Exam. There are eight themes addressed in the AP US History course, and all of them show up in one form or another on the exam across the nine units, or time periods. Each represents a subset of learning objectives that ...

  12. AP United States History Past Exam Questions

    AP United States History Past Exam Questions Free-Response Questions Download free-response questions from past exams along with scoring guidelines, sample responses from exam takers, and scoring distributions.

  13. How to Prep for APUSH Essays

    However, if essay-writing is not one of your current strengths, there are some tips you can follow to make writing in an APUSH essay format much easier. 1. Read the question prompt. All the way through. At least twice. You may see the term "AP" in this section. In this case, "AP" does not stand for "Advance Placement", but rather ...

  14. Guide to the AP U.S. History Exam

    The College Board requires your AP teacher to cover certain topics in the AP U.S. History course. As you complete your APUSH review, make sure you are familiar with the following topics: Period 1 (1491-1607) : Native American Societies Before European Contact; European Exploration in the Americas; Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and ...

  15. APUSH 2023 Exam Discussion Thread : r/APUSH

    Nothing about Robber Barons. Barely anything about political parties (unless you choose number 3 for the last essay) Nothing about the American Revolution. Nothing about the Civil War. Only one question about FDR/Teddy Roosevelt. Nothing about the war of 1812. Nothing past the 1930s besides a whooping 1 graph.

  16. What are the 2023-24 Common App essay prompts?

    Below is the full set of Common App essay prompts for 2023-24. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success.

  17. AP US History Exam 2024

    You can get the 2023 APUSH free-response questions now: check here for the first set and here for the second set. And check here for free-response questions from the 2015-2022 APUSH exams. APUSH Courses. The College Board's AP YouTube channel gives students access to APLive classes and recordings delivered by AP teachers from across the country.

  18. PDF AP® English Language and Composition

    Fastnacht, Sarah. "The Necessity of Rewilding our Cities." Makers of Sustainable Spaces, MOSS, 29 Apr. 2021, moss.amsterdam/2021/04/29/rewilding-our-cities. The following infographic is based on an image in a blog post published by an architecture and design company that specializes in sustainability.

  19. 10 Engaging APUSH Essay Prompts for 2023: Uncovering Untold Stories in

    10 Engaging APUSH Essay Prompts for 2023: Uncovering Untold Stories in American History 10 Engaging APUSH Essay Prompts for 2024: Uncovering Untold Stories in American History As an AP United States History (APUSH) student, you will undoubtedly encounter essay prompts throughout your course.

  20. PDF MsEffie's List of Open-ended Questions for Advanced Placement® English

    intentionally creates a new identity. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how the character's reinvention contributes to an interpretation of the work as a whole. 2023, Set 2. Many works of literature feature a rebel character who changes or disrupts the existing state of societal, familial, or political affairs in the text.

  21. Advanced Placement English

    Advanced Placement® Language and Literature Tests from 1970 to 2023. AP Language and LiteratureTests Reorganized: Each prompt is now a separate dated file with prompt, scoring guide (6-point and/or 9-point), sample student essays, comments -- whatever I have, attached. Released multiple-choice exams are in a separate folder.

  22. AP World History: Modern Exam

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