AP World History

Overview:

So I see that you have decided to take WHAP. This isn't your typical class with questions like "Who was Genghis Kahn?" but instead focuses on questions like "What was the Mongol Empire's lasting effects on the economic structure and trade in nearby regions?". It requires good memorization skills, but also the ability to create claims and analyze evidence. While it may sound confusing at first (which it should be), with time you'll definetely get better and learn how to do good on multiple choice part of the exam, as well as the three free response sections.

Tips:

1. Don't really stress over the summer assignment. Some of you are probably thinking "It's really long, I need to start it now!" or "I must check out the book now and start doing it!". But I can assure you that it's not as tough as it seems. You can complete it in a day or two if you really want, but spreading it over a long period of time is a better option so you can actually retain information much better for the test two weeks upon your return to school. Make sure you complete it with detail, ensuring you actually know the material. But don't stress too much over it. Take it seriously, but don't stress.
2. READ THE TEXTBOOK. Getting a "passing grade" on the tests requires you to read the textbook.
3. Read every chapter spread over the course of two weeks. Read consistently day everyday and you'll be fine.
4. Think big picture ideas. Don't memorize every single event or specific dates. It's more about how and why certain events bring about Social, Economic, Governmental (structure), Cultural, and Environmental changes around the world and specific regions.
5. Take the DBQ, LEQ, and SAQ (The "Free Response Questions")practices seriously. The three combined make up a big portion of the actual AP exam. Make sure to pay attention to specific formats Mr. Armstrong or Mr. Toyama tell you to write you essays/responses in, as well as pay close attentions to to tips they give on improving your chances of getting more points on the FRQ's. They're very important.
6. Even if you don't do so great on your first test (class average was like a 30%), don't worry. You're just starting off and learning the system. You'll get way better over time and with practice.

Other resources

ASAP: World History

I would highly recommend this review book. It’s a reference tool, and has charts and covers the essential and very important core details of World History. It’s easy to read and a great resource to review for tests and the AP Exam. Getting it at the very beginning could prove to be much more helpful rather than getting it towards the end. You can get it on Amazon, or from Barnes and Noble.

Crash Course: AP World History

This is another highly recommended review booklet for the class. I personally didn’t use it, but I’ve heard from my peers that it was a very good review source and breaks down all the information into an “easy to understand” format.

CrackAP.com “AP World History”

This website is extremely helpful as it provides about 38 tests (about 9 or test questions each) that very similarly mimic those on the AP World History multiple choice section. This is extremely helpful to practice tackling the multiple choice questions with passages, and I would recommend you use a few weeks leading up to the actual AP exam.