Several high school students take AP classes to test their academic abilities, enhance their college applications, and receive college credit.
AP European History is a typical AP course that can serve this purpose and is highly recommended for students who want to learn about history.
However, AP European History is a challenging AP class, and passing the class will need more than an average effort from any student.
This post will provide an overview of the AP European History class and details the factors that make AP European History challenging.
What is the AP European History?
AP European History is a class that focuses on the history of Europe from 1450, which is the start of the Renaissance until now.
Students that take this class develop the abilities they require to perform historical research together with the techniques for analyzing primary sources, establishing if they are authentic, and ascertaining how up current events connect to the past.
The AP European History class focuses on the notable events that have taken place in Europe in more than the last 500 years and their influence on the present age.
The nine units of the AP European History class include:
- Renaissance and Exploration
- Age of Reformation
- Absolutism and Constitutionalism
- Scientific, Philosophical, and Political Developments
- Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century
- Industrialization and its Effects
- 19th-Century Perspectives and Political Developments
- 20th-Century Global Conflicts
- Cold War and Contemporary Europe
Is AP European History worth it?
The impact that AP European History can have on students differs from one student to another.
If a student wants to learn about history and the AP European History in their school is handled by a good teacher, then taking an AP European History class is a good choice.
On the other hand, when considering how much time must be dedicated to the course and how challenging the exam is, taking an AP European History class can be a wrong decision for students that don’t like history or those that can’t handle the rigorous nature of the course.
Is AP European History Hard?
1. Pass rate:
The pass rate of an AP class is the pointer that can be used to analyze how hard or easy an AP class is.
The AP European History class has a pass rate of about 55%, lower than the average AP pass rate, making it one of the most challenging AP classes to take.
2. Breadth of its Curriculum
Another factor that makes AP European History a challenging class is the breadth of its curriculum which focuses on more than 500 years of history.
Nevertheless, students taking an AP World History class would not struggle in an AP European History class because the former has a more far-reaching curriculum than the latter.
Furthermore, AP European History can be challenging for students interested in STEM-related classes over humanities subjects.
This is because AP European History class requires excellent written communication skills, which most STEM students don’t have.
When is the Best Time to Take AP European History?
High school students can take AP European History at any time.
However, because of how difficult this class is, it is recommended for senior high school students with experience maneuvering tough subjects.
What is the Structure of the AP European History exam?
The AP European History exam lasts for 3 hours. This exam has two sections and three parts.
While the first section of the exam has two parts, the second section has just a single part. Part A of the first section has 55 multiple-choice questions and takes 55 minutes to finish.
On the other hand, part B of the first section is 40 minutes and has three short answer questions.
At the end of the first section of the test, students enjoy a short break before the second section commences.
The second section of the AP European History exam is 1 hour 40 minutes and consists of two longer essay-based questions.
What is the Scoring Formula of the AP European History Exam?
The AP European History exam adopts the 1-5 scoring format used in grading every AP exam. In this rank system, 5 is the highest possible Score.
Part A of Section One makes up 40%, and Part B of Section One makes up 20% of the total Score. On the other hand, Section Two makes up 40% of the total scores.
What Score do you need to get College Credit?
3 is the minimum pass score for the AP European History exam. This Score is proof that a student understands the class very well.
Nevertheless, several academic institutions only award college credits to students that score up to 4 or higher in the AP European History exam.
Certain schools don’t even offer college credit in the first place, no matter how good the AP class score is.
Is AP European History more challenging than AP U.S. History?
AP European History and AP U.S. History are among the most challenging AP classes. Doing well in any of the two classes can be tough for any student.
However, the level of difficulty that a student would encounter when taking any of these tests depends on how passionate they are about the class, their foundational knowledge of history, and the reputation of their instructors.
Is it Better to take AP European History or World History?
It is improper to place any of these courses above the other. This is because both courses are very tough to pass and equally important.
AP World History has a more rigorous curriculum than AP European History, making many students prefer the latter. However, any student that does well in AP World History will find AP European History easier.
A student’s decision between the two courses should be solely based on interest and nothing more.
While the AP World History class focuses on the whole world’s history, the AP European History only narrows the curriculum to the European continent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on AP European History
AP Physics 1 is considered the most challenging AP class ever. It covers several topics, such as electrical charge and force, Newtonian mechanics, etc.
The easiest AP classes based on their pass rates are AP Art & Design: Drawing, AP Art & Design: 2-D, AP Calculus BC, AP Chinese Language, and AP English Literature.
You can study AP European History independently without attending the general classes. However, this is only recommended for people with excellent comprehension abilities and discipline to study for many hours daily.
AP Physics 1 has the lowest pass rate of all APs.
Conclusion
An AP course in European history is highly recommended for any student interested in learning more about the past. To succeed in AP European History requires more work than is typical for AP courses.
If you hope to do well in the AP European History class, you must, first of all, develop an interest in history, and it is also advisable that you take the AP World History class first.
Additionally, ensure you cover the curriculum before the exams and always pay full attention during lessons.
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