What are the keys to getting high scores on AP essays—in fact, on any essay or exam in the Humanities and Social Sciences?

Answer 1

Hello there,

As a former and avid AP class aficionado, I have one piece of advice I think will help.

When writing, remember to complete the circle. The spot many kids go wrong when they write, especially in AP tests, is forgetting to come back to the original point. For example, if you were given on an AP Government and Politics exam a graph depicting public education spending, and were asked how public education spending as shown in the information graphic demonstrates the principle of federalism, you must complete the circle.

In this case, you should identify what federalism is, describe how it relates back to public education spending and, to complete the circle, demonstrate a deep understanding of federalism on a macro level. The more in depth, the better, but do not forget the main point of the question!

You can also find tons of AP resources online. I will link where I found the practice question from above!

-Kaitlynn

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-us-gopo-practice-exam-sample-responses-public-2018.pdf?course=ap-united-states-government-and-politics

Answer 2

The first and most important step to getting a high score is to practice. You can find practice essay test prompts for AP tests on the CollegeBoard website.

Here are a few strategies that will help while you're taking the test:

1.  Make sure to read the prompt carefully. Your essay must answer the prompt. An essay that doesn't answer the prompt isn't going to get a good score, no matter how well-written it might be.
2.  Pay particular attention to what the prompt is asking you to do. The actions -- synthesize, analyze, and create an original argument -- are not the same. When you practice, make sure you practice each of these. That way you won't have to take time away from writing during the test to try to remember what synthesis is, how synthesis is different from analysis, or the best ways to create an argument.
3.  Create the thesis statement first. It will be the roadmap you follow. When you refer back to it as you write, you'll see immediately whether you are drifting away from it. If you do find yourself drifting away from your thesis statement, you can either revise it or get yourself back on track with it.
4.  Put the thesis statement at the end of the introductory paragraph, even before you finish writing the paragraph. That will help guide you through writing an introduction that leads up to the thesis statement. A strong and logical introductory paragraph makes a great first impression on the scorer and sets the stage for a good essay.
5.  Write a strong topic sentence for each of the body paragraphs. Each topic sentence needs to provide evidence for a claim that supports the thesis statement.
6.  Make sure to use transition words and/or phrases in your topic sentences. This will improve the flow of your essay and strengthen it. Here are a few examples of transition words and phrases: "however," "likewise," "on the other hand," "in addition."

There's much more you can do to get a good score on the essay portion of a standardized test. I'd be happy to help you prepare for essay tests, so please don't hesitate to contact me!

Renee Hopkins