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2024 AP US Government & Politics Exam Guide
12 min read • july 11, 2024
Your Guide to the 2024 AP US Government & Politics Exam
We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We created a study plan to help you crush your AP Government and Politics exam. This guide will continue to update with information about the 2024 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you do your best on test day. Unlock Cram Mode for access to our cram events—students who have successfully passed their AP exams will answer your questions and guide your last-minute studying LIVE! And don't miss out on unlimited access to our database of thousands of practice questions.
Format of the 2024 AP US Gov Exam
Going into test day, this is the format to expect:
- 📃 55 multiple-choice questions with 80 minutes to complete them.- - There will be ~30 individual, stand-alone questions.- - All the other questions will be put together into sets. You may be asked to complete a quantitative, qualitative, or visual analysis in these questions.
- ✍ 4 free-response questions with 100 minutes to complete them. You should devote ~20 minutes to each response.- - Question 1 is always a concept application question.- - Question 2 is a quantitative analysis question, where you will analyze data and come to a conclusion.- - Question 3 is a Supreme Court case comparison essay. You will compare a required court case with a nonrequired one, explaining how they are related.- - Lastly, question 4 is an argumentative essay . 👉 Check out the 2023 AP US Government and Politics Free-Response Section posted on the College Board site.
Scoring Rubric for the AP US Government Exam
View an example set of questions and the corresponding scoring guidelines (page 186) from the College Board to get an idea of what they look for in your responses! You can also focus in on the argumentative essay (free response #4) and take a look at that rubric here .
Check out our study plan below to find resources and tools to prepare for your AP US Government exam.
When is the 2024 AP Gov Exam and How do I Take it?
Tests will be taken in person at your school. Here is what we know from College Board so far:
- The exam date will be in-person and on paper at your school on Monday, May 6, 2024 at 8 am, your local time. You have 3 hours to take the exam. We will have more updates from College Board soon, but as of now, this is what we know!
How Should I Prepare for the AP Gov Exam?
- First, you need to take stock of your progress in the course so far so that you can build your study plan according to your needs. Download the AP Government and Politics Cheatsheet PDF —a single sheet that covers everything you need to know—so that you can see a map of the entire course and quickly spot the weak areas that you need to focus on.
- Then, create your study plan by focusing on your learning styles and areas to improve. Which types of questions do you need to practice more? We've put together the study plan found below to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam. Pay special attention to the units that you need the most improvement in.
- Study, practice, and review for test day with other students during our live cram sessions via Cram Mode . Cram live streams will teach, review, and practice important topics from AP courses, college admission tests, and college admission topics. These streams are hosted by experienced students who know what you need to succeed.
- Finally, build your study schedule in advance! We highly suggest making your study schedule ahead of time so that you can easily join interactive study sessions such as live streams, voice chats, and study groups.
Pre-Work: Set Up Your Study Environment
Before you begin studying, take some time to get organized.
🖥 Create a study space.
Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space.
📚 Organize your study materials.
Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!
📅 Plan designated times for studying.
The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.
🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.
How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!
AP US Government & Politics 2024 Study Plan
🏛️unit 1: foundations of american democracy, big takeaways:.
Unit 1 introduces the concept of democracy and its various forms. The documents that first started the United States are analyzed by looking at the challenges and promises associated with each. The division of power within our government: individual rights vs government authority and state vs federal government powers are at the heart of this unit and discussed within each founding document.
Definitely do this:
🎥 Watch these videos:
Intro to American Government, models of Representative Democracy : A full review of the types of democracy, the difference between government and politics as well as the functions of government are discussed.
Foundational Documents Review : A deep dive into the foundational documents you need to know for the exam.
Ratification of the Constitution: Constitutional Convention : A review of the compromises leading to the ratification of the Constitution. 📰 Check out these articles:
- Unit 1 Overview: Foundations of American Democracy
- 1.1 Ideals of Democracy
- 1.2 Types of Democracy
- 1.3 Federalist No. 10 & Brutus 1 Summary
- 1.4 Challenges of the Articles of Confederation
- 1.5 Ratification of the US Constitution
- 1.6 Principles of American Government
- 1.7 Relationship Between States and the Federal Government
- 1.8 Constitutional Interpretations of Federalism
- 1.9 Federalism in Action
- 1.10 Required Founding Documents ✍️ Practice:
- Best Quizlet Deck: AP Gov Unit 1 by bryce_s
If you have more time or want to dig deeper:
- 👻 Check out Too Late to Apologize: An Ode to the [object Object] (YouTube)
- Types of Federalism Part 1 - Dual vs Cooperative
- Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland and US v. Lopez
- The Powers - Expressed, Implied, Concurrent, Denied...
⚖️ Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government
Unit 2 dives into the separation of powers between our three branches of government. It looks at the specific powers of each branch as outlined in the Constitution and how each branch has grown in power through the years. The system of checks and balances and the role each branch plays in holding the other accountable is analyzed.
Legislative and Judicial Branch Review : This stream provides a review of the legislative and judicial branches including their powers and role within the federal government.
- Powers of the Presidency : This stream provides a review of the executive branch including its powers and role within the federal government.
Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances : This video from Crash Course reviews the separation of powers between the three branches of government. It also looks at the ways each branch “checks” the other. 📰 Check out these articles:
Unit 2 Overview: Interactions Among Branches of Government
- 2.1 Congress : The Senate and the House of Representatives
2.2 Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress
2.3 Congressional Behavior
2.4 Roles and Power of the President
2.5 Checks on the Presidency
2.6 Expansion of Presidential Power
2.7 Presidential Communication
2.8 The Judicial Branch
2.9 Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch
2.10 The Court in Action
2.11 Checks on the Judicial Branch
2.12 The Bureaucracy
2.13 Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority
2.14 Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable
2.15 Policy and the Branches of Government ✍️ Practice:
Best Quizlet Deck: Unit 2 – AP Gov by k8te13
- Bill to Law Process
- Review and Application of Iron Triangles and Issue Networks
- Selection and Nomination of Federal Judges
✊ Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Unit 3 takes the principles of our government established in Units 1 and 2 to analyze maintaining those principles while balancing liberty and order. The role of the Bill of Rights and the 14th amendment in guaranteeing civil rights and liberties for all citizens is at the heart of this unit.
🎥 Watch these videos:
First and Second Amendments : This stream looks at what the first and second amendments say, how they have been interpreted and some of the major Supreme Court cases around them.
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights : This video from crash course provides a review of the civil liberties and civil rights guaranteed to US citizens. It also looks at the way the Bill of Rights has been interpreted since its inception in relation to liberties and rights.
The 14th Amendment : This stream breaks down the 14th amendment and many of the key terms associated with it: due process, equal protection, incorporation, citizenship, and privileges or immunities clause.
Required Supreme Court Cases from 1st-10th Amendments : This stream reviews Supreme Court cases about the 1st-10th Amendments and how they protect civil liberties today! 📰 Check out these articles:
- Unit 3 Overview: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- 3.1 The Bill of Rights
- 3.2 First Amendment: Freedom of Religion
- 3.3 First Amendment: Freedom of Speech
- 3.4 First Amendment: Freedom of the Press
- 3.5 Second Amendment: Rights to Bear Arms
- 3.6 Amendments: Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Order and Safety
- 3.7 Selective Incorporation & the 14th Amendment
- 3.8 Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused
- 3.9 Amendments: Due Process and the Right to Privacy
- 3.10 Social Movements and Equal Protection
- 3.11 Government Responses to Social Movements
- 3.12 Balancing Minority and Majority Rights
- 3.13 Affirmative Action ✍️ Practice:
Best Quizlet Deck: AP Gov – Civil Liberties and Rights by Sandy_Midgley
- 📜 Check out Bill of Rights and Bill of Rights (YouTube)
- Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (Fiveable stream)
🐘Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
Unit 4 focuses on political ideology - the idea that there are different and consistent patterns of beliefs about political values and the role of government within the context that we live in. This unit will discuss the different American ideologies and how major parties influence them.
Political Socialization and Political Ideology : This stream discusses what influences people's political views and a few different dominant political ideologies.
Political Parties and Their Platforms : This stream dives into the major beliefs and ideologies of the Republican and Democratic party platforms, the history of political parties, their impact on voters and the government, and third parties were also discussed.
Economic Ideology - Keynesian vs Supply Side : In this stream we dived into fiscal economic theory and policy, looking at the liberal take on Keynesian theory and the conservative look at supply-side theory. 📰 Check out these articles:
Unit 4 Overview: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
4.1 American Attitudes about Government and Politics
4.2 Political Socialization
- 4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology
4.5 Measuring Public Opinion
4.6 Evaluating Public Opinion Data
4.7 Ideologies of Political Parties
4.8 Ideology and Policy Making
4.9 Ideology and Economic Policy
4.10 Ideology and Social Policy ✍️ Practice:
Best Quizlet Deck: AP GOV Unit 4 by MARGARET_CYLKOWSKI
- A Review of Public Policy (Social Policy)
- A Review of Public Policy (Economic Policy)
- Social Security, Healthcare, and Education Policy
🗳Unit 5: Political Participation
This unit focuses on how we, citizens, can participate in politics as well as how the media, finance and other factors play a part in our government and policy-making.
Voting and Voter Behavior : Who votes and why do they vote? This stream answers these questions and explains the process of voting in the US in this stream.
Campaign Finance : Campaign finance isn't as scary as you think! This stream looks at the Federal Elections Campaign Act, hard vs soft money, Buckley vs Valeo, Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, Citizens United vs FEC, 501(c)s, and more!
Media Ownership and Bias : This steam discusses the growing concentration of media companies and how bias in media affects both policy-making and public interest.
- Critical Elections: Realignments and Dealignment : Often, students are confused on the differences between a party realignment and dealignment. This stream covers those around the five critical elections in US history. 📰 Check out these articles:
- Unit 5 Overview: Political Participation
- 5.1 Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behaviour
- 5.2 Voter Turnout
- 5.3 Political Parties
- 5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change
- 5.5 Third-Party Politics
- 5.6 Interest Groups Influencing Policy Making
- 5.7 Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes
- 5.8 Electing a President
- 5.9 Congressional Elections
- 5.10 Modern Campaigns
- 5.11 Campaign Finance
- 5.12 The Media
- 5.13 Changing Media ✍️ Practice:
Best Quizlet Deck: AP Government - Political Participation by Carpenter-Economics
🧐AP US Government - Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
📰 Check out these articles:
- AP US Government Multiple Choice Questions
- AP US Government Multiple Choice Help (MCQ)
🏛️AP US Government - Free Response Questions (FRQ)
Breaking Down the Supreme Court Case Comparison Essay : This stream discusses how exactly to write the Supreme Court Case Comparison Essay, FRQ #3, on the AP Gov exam! We talked about the elements of a good response, and wrote one ourselves!
Writing Workshop on the Argumentative Essay : This stream explores the Argumentative Essay, looking at the rubric and then using the remainder of the time to practice our skills. 📰 Check out these articles:
AP US Government Free Response Help - FRQs
FRQ: Conceptual Analysis
FRQ: SCOTUS Application
AP Gov FRQ: Argument Essay Review (2020)
AP Gov FRQ: Quantitative Analysis Review (2020) ✍️ Practice:
AP Gov SAQ Practice Prompt Answers & Feedback
AP GoPo Free Response Questions (FRQ) – Past Prompts
- AP Gov Federalism Practice Prompt Answers & Feedback
As you're studying for the AP exam, make sure that you have a handle on all of the Required Cases. Check out this comprehensive study guide that outlines all the Supreme Court Cases you have to know to do your best in May!
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AP U.S. Government and Politics: Concept Application Example
Concept application strategy.
- When analyzing the stimulus, carefully note relevant details. Paraphrase the political scenario in your own words before looking at the questions.
- Concept Application questions often build on each other, asking you to use your response for one part to answer another part. Therefore, carefully plan your response before you start writing in order to make sure you choose answers that you can apply to later parts of the prompt if needed.
Sample Concept Application Question
A new political party, the Health & Wealth Party, forms to focus on those policies which members believe will address the most significant threats to the health and prosperity of the general population. Their key platform favors requiring manufacturers of high-sugar snack foods to produce an equal ratio of low-sugar snack alternatives offered at the same price to consumers. In addition, they advocate using tax money to subsidize low-income families with funds to buy the low-sugar snacks. To increase “wealth,” the party supports significantly lowering taxes on corporations, with the intent of attracting new businesses to the United States. Finally, they also propose drastically reducing income taxes for all Americans, making up the difference in the budget by slashing military spending for foreign affairs. After reading the scenario, respond to Parts A, B, and C. (A) The Health & Wealth Party’s platform contains elements that reflect conservative, liberal, and libertarian viewpoints. For each of the three viewpoints, identify one element of the Health & Wealth Party platform that reflects that viewpoint’s typical ideology. (B) Describe a way in which the Health & Wealth Party’s nominee, if elected to the presidency, could attempt to implement the policy regulating snack manufacturers. (C) Explain one reason why it is difficult for third-party candidates, like the Health & Wealth Party nominee, to win presidential elections.
Step 1: Analyze the Prompt
Step 2: plan your response.
- Conserv.: traditional values + pro-market policies –> lower taxes on business
- Liberal: more gov’t involvement for equality –> regulate manuf. & subsidies for poor
- Libert.: ind. liberty + low gov’t involvement –> lower income taxes & military spending
Part B: Need to think of how a pres. could impact a policy about reg. snack manufacturers, including details to describe my answer.
- Commerce clause is relevant
- Pres. could meet w/ Congress, persuade to make committee & draft bill
- Pres. could endorse candidates who agree on issue
Part C: Need to think about difficulties faced by third-party candidates during elections (not while in office). Need to fully describe the issue, including the why/how, to count as explaining.
- Hard to win votes in electoral college due to winner-take-all system and entrenchment of major parties
- But an election based only on popular vote would likely not create a clear majority winner
Step 3: Action! Write Your Response
Step 4: proofread, sample high-scoring response, sample response explanation.
- Organization: The response addresses one part in each paragraph. Although this is not required, it makes it much easier for the reader to follow and score your response.
- Sentences: Although Part A requires only identification, the writer still uses a paragraph for the response, adding just a little explanation to justify his or her classifications of the party planks. Use paragraphs and complete sentences for all parts of your responses; never use just phrases or lists.
- Addressing each action word: Note that the responses for Parts B and C are longer than the response for Part A. Part A only required identification, while B required description and C required explanation. The response for Part B provides a full description of a presidential action. The response for Part C effectively explains by discussing multiple reasons why the Electoral College is the way it is, including both how the system puts third-party candidates at a disadvantage and why the system is still practical.
Scoring for Question 1: 3 points (1 + 1 + 1)
- Example conservative components: lowering taxes on businesses, lowering income taxes, seeking more balanced budget
- Example liberal components: regulating snack manufacturers, providing subsidies for lower- income families, lowering military spending
- Example libertarian components: lowering taxes on businesses, lowering income taxes, lowering foreign military spending, seeking more balanced budget
Part B (1 point) One point for describing a way the president could impact policy.
- Example ways include: calling a special committee/commission to research and influence the issue, persuading Congress members to create legislation that addresses the policy, appointing positions to the Food and Drug Administration that support the policy, issuing an executive order to the FDA, endorsing candidates who support the policy, using the “bully pulpit” to rally public support and put pressure on Congress, highlighting the issue in the State of the Union address, proposing a budget that includes provisions for the policy, threatening to veto a bill unless Congress makes provisions for the policy
Part C (1 point) One point for explaining a difficulty faced by third-party candidates.
- Example difficulties include: less financing, difficulty of getting onto ballots, heavy political entrenchment of the two-party system, winner-take-all nature of Electoral College makes it difficult to score electoral votes, voter discouragement (wanting to make sure their vote “counts”), major parties’ tendency to adopt platform planks that try to appeal to potential third-party voters
Learn more about the other free response questions on the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam. Quantitative Analysis • SCOTUS Comparison • Argument Essay
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Lesson Plan: AP Government: Argumentative Essay Practice
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The Federalist Papers
Boston College professor Mary Sarah Bilder gives a brief overview backgrounding the Federalist Papers
Description
This is intended as an end-of-course review activity for practice with the argumentative essay format included on the AP United States Government and Politics exam since the 2018 redesign. Eleven practice prompts are provided, reflecting content from Units 1-3.
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY PROMPT ANALYSIS
- Review the provided Argumentative Essay Prompts in either an individual or jigsaw format.
- Write a thesis statement for your selected prompt(s) and identify the selection you would make from the provided list and the second piece of evidence you would choose.
- If there are prompts for which you struggle to develop a thesis, or items on the bulleted lists with which you are not conversant, use the hyperlinked C-SPAN Classroom resources to extend your understanding of the required founding documents and SCOTUS cases that you found challenging.
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
- Chose one or more of the provided Argumentative Essay Prompts , as assigned, and use the planning and exploration you did above to write a full essay in response to your designated prompt(s) in 25 or fewer minutes , since that's the time limit you'll face on the AP Exam!
- Exchange essays with a classmate and evaluate each others' work.
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AP United States Government and Politics
Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.
Not a Student?
Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.
About the Course
Have you ever wondered how the government and politics are connected? Or how you can actively participate in the political process? In AP United States Government and Politics, you’ll examine the relationships between the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court, and explore how different political ideologies and opinions shape American politics.
Skills You'll Learn
Connecting political concepts to real-life situations
Explaining the impact and implications of certain U.S. Supreme Court decisions
Analyzing data to find patterns and trends and draw conclusions
Reading and analyzing text and visual sources
Developing a claim or thesis and supporting it in an essay
Equivalency and Prerequisites
College course equivalent.
A one-semester introductory college course in U.S. government
Recommended Prerequisites
Tue, May 6, 2025
12 PM Local
AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam
This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP United States Government and Politics Exam.
About the Units
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
Course Content
Unit 1: foundations of american democracy.
You’ll learn how the men who created the U.S. Constitution set up a structure of government intended to stand the test of time, and how the compromises they made left some questions unresolved that continue to be debated today.
Topics may include:
- 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
On The Exam
15%–22% of multiple-choice score
Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government
You’ll continue to explore how the government sets and administers policy, and you’ll learn about the complexities of this process.
- The structures, powers, and functions of each house of Congress
- The roles and powers of the president
- The roles and powers of the Supreme Court and other federal courts
- The roles of the federal bureaucracy (departments, agencies, commissions, and government corporations)
25%–36% of multiple-choice score
Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
You’ll connect what you’ve learned about the founding principles of our government to the debates over how best to balance freedom and order.
- The intent of the Bill of Rights
- The First Amendment (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press) and how the Supreme Court has interpreted it
- The Second Amendment (the right to bear arms) and how the Supreme Court has interpreted it
- 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 multiple-choice score
Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
You’ll explore the various beliefs that U.S. citizens hold about government, how these beliefs are shaped, and how they affect which policies citizens support.
- 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 multiple-choice score
Unit 5: Political Participation
You’ll learn about the many ways that U.S. citizens can influence the decisions the government makes.
- 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 multiple-choice score
Credit and Placement
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Course Resources
Ap classroom resources.
Once you join your AP class section online, you’ll be able to access AP Daily videos, any assignments from your teacher, and your assignment results in AP Classroom. Sign in to access them.
- Go to AP Classroom
AP United States Government and Politics Course and Exam Description
This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and the AP Program in general.
The Difference Between AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics
Read about the similarities and differences between AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics, and discover which course may be right for you.
- Go to College Board Blog
More About Your Course
The declaration of independence.
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration website offers a transcript of this founding document; articles about its history, creation, and meaning; and digital images of the parchment manuscript.
- Go to The Declaration of Independence
The U.S. House of Representatives
The U.S. House of Representatives website provides information on the history, leadership, committees, and activities of this legislative body.
- Go to The U.S. House of Representatives
The U.S. Constitution
- Go to The U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Federal Courts
The U.S. Courts website offers an array of resources, including informative articles, court records, national court forms, and more.
- Go to The U.S. Federal Courts
The U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate website provides information on the history, leadership, committees, legislation, and records of this legislative body.
- Go to The U.S. Senate
The White House
The White House website features priorities and initiatives of the president, plus information on the current administration, executive offices, and more.
- Go to The White House
See Where AP Can Take You
AP United States Government and Politics can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors
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The Complete Guide to AP US Government FRQs
Advanced Placement (AP)
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Free-response questions, or FRQs, on the AP US Government exam are more straightforward than those on some other AP tests, but they can still be tough if you're not ready for them. In this guide, we will lay out a simple step-by-step method for answering AP Government FRQs , go through a real example, and tell you where you can find additional practice resources.
AP Government Free-Response Section Format
The free-response section lasts one hour and 40 minutes and consists of four questions , each of which is worth 12.5% of your total score. So as a whole, the free-response section accounts for half your total AP Gov score (the other 50% comes from the multiple-choice section). Each FRQ is worth 3-6 raw points.
Here are the four types of FRQs you'll get on the AP Government exam:
- Concept Application (3 raw points)
- Quantitative Analysis (4 raw points)
- SCOTUS Comparison (4 raw points)
- Argument Essay (6 raw points)
The free-response questions will ask you to integrate your knowledge of the various content areas covered by the course. This includes analyzing political events in the US, discussing examples, and demonstrating your understanding of general principles of US government and politics. You'll also be asked to examine data from charts, define key terms, and explain the roles that different parts of our government play in the political system.
The following chart shows specifically what you must do for each FRQ on the AP Government test. All info below comes from the 2020 AP US Government and Politics Course and Exam Description .
1. Concept Application | Presents students with an authentic scenario. Assesses student ability to describe and explain the effects of a political institution, behavior, or process. Additionally, this question assesses student ability to transfer understanding of course concepts and apply them in a new situation or scenario. |
2. Quantitative Analysis | Presents students with quantitative data in the form of a table, graph, map, or infographic. This question assesses students' ability to perform the following: |
3. SCOTUS Comparison | Presents students with a description of a non-required Supreme Court Case and its holding. This question assesses students' ability to do the following: |
4. Argument Essay | Assesses students' ability to do the following: |
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AP Government FRQs: 5-Step Solution Process
This section provides a step-by-step process for answering any question on the AP US Government exam. Here's a sample question from the 2020 AP Gov Course and Exam Description that I'll reference throughout so you can see how these steps might work in practice:
![ap government and politics essay rubric body_ap_us_gov_free_response_sample_question](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body_ap_us_gov_free_response_sample_question.png?width=501&name=body_ap_us_gov_free_response_sample_question.png)
Step 1: Read the Introductory and Concluding Sentences
Free-response questions #1 and #3 will include passages, while question #2 will have an image or a chart with data. Skim the first and final sentences of the passage (or title of the graphic for #2) before you get to the tasks (labeled A-C or A-D). This will help you get a rough sense of what to expect in the rest of the question.
It's a good idea to read the intros and conclusions to all the FRQs before choosing which one to begin with. Doing this might help build up your confidence and improve your efficiency to start with a question that's easier for you.
In the sample question above, you would read the title of the graphic ("Public Education Spending: Amount Spent per Pupil by State in 2014") and then skim the image itself to get a sense of what it's asking you to analyze.
![ap government and politics essay rubric body_person_holding_magnifying_glass](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body_person_holding_magnifying_glass.jpg?width=375&name=body_person_holding_magnifying_glass.jpg)
Step 2: Identify (and Underline, If You Want) the Command Verb
For each task in each FRQ, you're given specific instructions on the type of answer that is expected; these instructions include command verbs that tell you what to do. It's important to be aware of exactly what the question is asking so you can earn full points.
These command verbs are the first words you should zero in on as you approach a question. If you think it'll help keep you focused, you can underline these verbs .
Here are the most commonly used task verbs, as described in the AP Gov Exam Description :
Compare: Provide a description or explanation of similarities and/or differences.
Define: Provide a specific meaning for a word or concept.
Describe: Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic.
Develop an argument: Articulate a claim and support it with evidence.
Draw a conclusion: Use available information to formulate an accurate statement that demonstrates understanding based on evidence.
Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning. Explain "how" typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome, whereas explain "why" typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.
Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.
In part A of the sample question, the command verb is "identify," indicating that you need to correctly interpret the data in the image. In part B, the command verb changes to "describe," which means you'll need to go one step further and interpret and analyze data in the graphic that you have found.
Part C starts with "draw a conclusion," meaning that you will need to tie together the evidence you found in part B to come up with a final (accurate) statement on what this means. Finally, part D begins with the task verb "explain," showing that you must make a clear connection between the data in this graphic as a whole and the principle of federalism.
Step 3: Know Where You'll Earn Your Raw Points
In general, each part in a question (A, B, C, and D) will correspond to 1 raw point , but not all questions are like this.
After finding the task verb in the part of the question you're answering, take note of how many examples or descriptions you need to provide , as each will likely correspond to a point in your raw score for the question. There might also be more than one task verb in a question, in which case you'll likely get at least 2 raw points for it.
As a reminder, here is the maximum number of raw points you can earn for each question (don't forget that each question is still worth the same percentage of your score: 12.5%):
Take care to answer the question thoroughly but directly , addressing all points in a way that will make it easy for graders to assess your response. Remember that you don't need to write an essay for the first three FRQs, so just go straight for the answer to avoid any ambiguity.
In the sample question, we know there will be 4 raw points you can earn. And since the tasks are divided into four parts (labeled A-D), we can assume that each part will be worth 1 raw point .
You can see more sample FRQs and how they're graded with the official scoring guidelines here .
Step 4: Reread Your Answer
Once you've come up with an answer, reread what you wrote to ensure it makes sense and addresses the question completely . Did you give the correct number of descriptions or examples asked of you? Does your answer directly respond to what the question is asking?
If you're satisfied, move on to the next part of the question and return to step 2!
Step 5: Pace Yourself
The final step is to keep track of time so you can be sure you're pacing yourself effectively and are not spending too much time on any one question. As a reminder, you'll have one hour and 40 minutes for the entire free-response section of the AP Government exam.
It's suggested that you spend the following amounts of time on each FRQ:
FRQ #1: Concept Application | 20 minutes |
FRQ #2: Quantitative Analysis | 20 minutes |
FRQ #3: SCOTUS Comparison | 20 minutes |
FRQ #4: Argument Essay | 40 minutes |
As you can see, you should spend about an equal amount of time on the first three FRQs and save most of your time for your essay , which will likely require the most effort of the four.
![ap government and politics essay rubric body_us_capitol_building](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body_us_capitol_building.jpeg?width=574&name=body_us_capitol_building.jpeg)
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A Real AP Government FRQ Example + Analysis
Now, let's go through the answers to a real AP Government free-response question from the 2019 released questions to show you what your responses should look like. This question is an example of a Concept Application question on the exam, meaning it's worth 3 raw points (1 point each for parts A, B, and C).
![ap government and politics essay rubric body_ap_gov_frq_sample_question](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body_ap_gov_frq_sample_question.png?width=650&name=body_ap_gov_frq_sample_question.png)
This question is all about the Johnson Amendment, which does not allow religious organizations to engage in political activities and contribute money to political campaigns. As this passage explains, the Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious group, encourages pastors to challenge this law by participating in an annual event called Pulpit Freedom Sunday.
Below, we go through how to answer each of the three parts correctly using the scoring guidelines .
Part A—1 Point
Part A asks you to come up with an example of a specific action Congress could take to address the concerns of the Alliance Defending Freedom. In other words, what could Congress do to allow groups such as the Alliance Defending Freedom to speak freely about political campaigns?
Note that the command verb used here is "describe," meaning you must "provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic," or elaborate on what you're proposing and why it would work.
There are two possible answers you could put down here, according to the scoring guidelines:
- Congress could pass a law that would reverse the Johnson Amendment.
- Congress could pass a law to allow religious organizations to participate more directly in politics.
Part B—1 Point
Part B asks you to go into more detail about what you proposed in part A . You must talk about how partisan divisions (i.e., differences in political parties among politicians) could stop whatever you proposed in part A from going into effect (whether that's a new law altogether or a reversal of the original Johnson Amendment).
The task verb used here is "explain," so you must use evidence to show how the action you wrote down in part A could be blocked or reversed.
Here are two possible answers , according to the scoring guidelines:
- Partisan divisions make it more difficult to pass a law because parties adhere to different ideological points of view.
- If Congress and the president are from different political parties, the president might threaten to veto the legislation.
Part C—1 Point
The final part of this free-response question asks you to examine the scenario again, this time from the perspective of the Alliance Defending Freedom , or the religious group in question.
How might the Alliance argue that the Johnson Amendment, which prevents them from speaking on political issues and contributing money to political campaigns, is taking away their rights?
The key here is to first think about what rights these could be . Perhaps freedom of speech or freedom of religion? As you probably noticed, the task verb is "explain," so once again you must use plenty of evidence to show why this contentious relationship exists between the Alliance and the Johnson Amendment/the US government as a whole.
Here are examples of answers you could write, according to the official scoring guidelines:
- The Alliance Defending Freedom and other religious groups might argue that their First Amendment rights are being violated.
- The Alliance Defending Freedom and other religious groups might argue that their freedom of speech/religion is being violated.
![ap government and politics essay rubric body_judiciary.jpg](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body_judiciary.jpg?width=499&name=body_judiciary.jpg)
Essential Resources for Practicing AP US Government FRQs
There are several resources you can use to hone your skills for answering AP Government FRQs.
Official College Board Resources
The College Board website hosts free-response questions from previous tests that you can use for practice. I recommend starting with the 2019 FRQs (unfortunately, they don't come with sample student responses), as these will look the most like the questions you'll get on test day.
Once you've used those, you can look at FRQs from the 2018 test and earlier; most of these come with sample student responses so you can see what a good response looks like.
If you're hoping to practice FRQs in the context of a full-length test, here are some links to past AP Government exams you can download (as always, prioritize the most recent tests):
- 2018 Practice Test
- 2013 Practice Test
- 2012 Practice Test
- 2009 Practice Test
- 2005 Practice Test
- 1999 Practice Test
These are by far the best sample AP US Government free-response questions you can get because they most accurately represent what you'll see on the real test.
AP Government Review Books
AP Government review books are also solid resources for free-response practice, though they vary a lot in quality.
The Princeton Review's prep book for AP Gov includes five full-length practice tests , so there should be tons of free-response questions you can use to hone your skills. Barron's AP US Gov review book also has some useful practice tests and free-response questions.
If you use these unofficial free-response questions for practice, just be sure to intersperse them with official questions from the College Board so that you maintain an accurate sense of what to expect on the real test.
![ap government and politics essay rubric body_reviewbooks.jpg](https://blog.prepscholar.com/hs-fs/hubfs/body_reviewbooks.jpg?width=375&name=body_reviewbooks.jpg)
Recap: Everything to Know About AP US Government FRQs
The four free-response questions on the AP US Government and Politics exam can be approached methodically to earn the maximum number of points.
Read the intro and conclusion to the question first so you can get your bearings. Then, for each of the separate parts, identify the task verb, figure out where you'll earn your raw points, and double-check your answer for any missing pieces or careless errors.
You should also pace yourself so that you're spending no more than 20 minutes each on the first three questions and 40 minutes on the essay.
I suggest practicing at least a few free-response questions before heading into the AP exam. The best resource to use is the College Board website, which contains an archive of past questions accompanied by scoring guidelines and sample student responses. These questions are pretty simple compared to the free-response questions on other AP tests once you get the hang of them!
What's Next?
Not sure where to begin in your AP prep? Our five-step plan will prepare you to take on any AP test .
If you're missing some of your notes that you need to study for AP Gov, check out this article with links to all the content you need to know for the test . You can also learn about the test as a whole with our comprehensive AP Government and Politics review guide .
Do you have a target score in mind for this exam? Learn more about what it takes to earn a 5 on an AP test and whether you should aim for one yourself.
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Tools & Calculators
Ap® us government and politics score calculator.
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- Last Updated On: July 17, 2024
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Looking for an AP® US Government and Politics score calculator? You’ve found it! Explore how you would do on the AP® US Government exam by using this interactive widget.
Need extra help in preparing for AP® US Government? Check out our AP® US Government section for tons of review articles or explore The Best AP® US Government Review Guide .
AP® US Government & Politics
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Section I: Multiple-Choice
FRQ 1: Concept Application
FRQ 2: Quantitative Analysis
FRQ 3: SCOTUS Comparison
FRQ 4: Argument Essay
Section II: Free Response - Question 1
Section II: Free Response - Question 2
Section II: Free Response - Question 3
Section II: Free Response - Question 4
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Looking for AP® US Government study materials?
Also, check out this reference for the best AP® US Government review books .
What is a good AP® US Government score?
A good score on any Advanced Placement exam is generally considered to be a 3, 4 or 5. These scores mean you passed the exam. The College Board specifies a score of 3 as “qualified”, 4 as “well qualified” and 5 as “extremely well qualified.” Depending on the specific colleges you apply to, a passing score on an AP® exam could also qualify you to receive college credit. You can see the AP® credit policy for any school you are considering on the College Board website here .
It is also important to note the pass rate for the exam. In 2020, over 326,000 students took the exam with a pass rate of 53%.
What is the average AP® US Government score?
It is difficult to give an overall average score because the AP® US Government exam changes every year based on overall exam changes or a different set of questions. Therefore, every year there is a different average score and score distribution. For example, in 2014, the average score was 2.62, 2.54 in 2015, 2.64 in 2016, 2.58 in 2017, 2.7 in 2018, 2.73 in 2019 and 2.85 in 2020. So, an approximate average score is around 2.67. You can reference the latest 2020 student score distributions here .
Why are AP® US Government scores curved?
Advanced Placement exam scores are always curved to maintain consistency. Because the specific questions change every year, the College Board wants to ensure that the scores reflect the same level of understanding year after year. That is, a student should get a 4 on any version of the exam they take. Also, the Advanced Placement program is designed to model college courses, many of which are graded on a curve.
How do I get a 5 on AP® US Government?
First, it is important to note that on average, only about 11% of all AP® US Government test takers achieve a 5 on this exam. Getting a top score is challenging, but definitely not impossible. There are a few things to keep in mind if you are aiming for a 5. Of course, content knowledge is vital, but good study habits and practice are vital to doing well on this exam.
Albert provides a wealth of resources to help you review and practice for test day. Search the website for resources like these:
- Is AP® US Government Hard?
- How to Study for AP® US Government
- One Month AP® US Government Study Guide
Also, Albert provides hundreds of AP-aligned practice questions on the study guide to help you practice. You can access these anytime, anywhere on the site.
Why should I use this AP® US Government score calculator?
This AP® US Government score calculator uses the official scoring worksheets provided by the College Board from previously released exams, making this tool accurate and up-to-date. Using this calculator can help you grade any practice exams you take so you can get a general idea of what score to expect come exam day. Also, knowing roughly how many questions you have to answer correctly to pass provides a great confidence boost as well.
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AP US Government and Politics FRQ Rubric
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Guide to the AP® U.S. Government and Politics Exam
Why take ap ® u.s. government and politics.
When faced with the choice of whether or not to take AP ® U.S. Government and Politics, the benefits often outweigh the costs for most students.
Maybe you’re a political junkie looking for a way to learn more about the government, or maybe you’re just really into taking AP ® tests (if you are, you’re on the perfect website).
Whether you’re considering taking the course this year for credit or if you’re just curious about the inner workings of the U.S. government, here are some good reasons to take the class.
Many colleges require students to fulfill a history or social science course before they can graduate. However, if you take the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam and attain a high score while you are in high school, you may be able to qualify for credit toward that requirement and not have to take another social sciences course in college.
A more recent argument for taking AP ® Exams, is that more colleges are going test-optional . This means that SAT ® and ACT ® scores are potentially holding less weight when it comes to college applications, and a good AP ® score could help tip the scale in your favor when it comes to college admissions.
Besides creating the opportunity to earn college credit for the work you do, AP ® Gov courses also help you to develop crucial skills, challenge you academically, and help round out your knowledge in ways you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. In addition to that, preparing for and taking the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam provides excellent practice for college-level exams you may take in the future. Still unsure? This article goes into more detail about the benefits of taking AP® U.S. Government and Politics .
How to sign up for AP ® U.S. Government and Politics
To register for the AP® U.S. Government Exam, you need to contact your school’s AP ® Coordinator, who can help facilitate your courses and exams.
Bear in mind you’ll likely need to complete requirements to be eligible to enroll in an AP ® course. In order to register for the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam, you have to join your class section online, on College Board’s My AP ® Portal . Some schools will automatically register you for the exam if you’re enrolled in an AP ® U.S. Government and Politics class, but others won’t and you will have to register online through the portal. If you are unsure whether or not you are registered for the AP® U.S. Government and Politics Exam, check with your AP ® Coordinator.
For the 2020-21 school year, College Board is waiving their cancellation fees, so if you are unsure about taking the exam, you are better off registering for it anyway, and cancelling for free if you later decide not to take the exam. There is however, still a deadline for exam registration on November 13th, 2020, so definitely make sure you register through your AP ® Coordinator by then to avoid paying any late fees.
Specific deadlines may vary by the school—always be sure to check with your teacher or AP ® Coordinator what date you need to register by in line with your school’s policies.
How much does the AP ® Exam cost?
Each AP ® Exam costs a total of $96—if you’re in the mainland United States and its territories and commonwealths, Canada, or a U.S. Department of Defense Dependents School.
If you’re outside of those areas, the AP ® Exam will cost $126 per exam.
The College Board has a financial aid program that offers a $3 fee reduction in the exam. Read more about exam fees here .
You cannot use the My AP ® Portal to pay fees – they will be collected by your AP ® coordinator.
When you take into account the cost of a college course versus the cost of the exam, though, you’ll see that the AP ® Exam is actually a bargain. With a passing score, you may be able to earn college credit and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
When can I take the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam?
The AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam date in 2022 is Monday, May 2nd. You can find more information about dates and late-testing schedules for the 2022 AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam in our 2022 AP ® Exam Dates article.
What’s on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam?
The AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam covers a breadth of topics surrounding the cultural, political, and social changes in U.S. history.
The AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam will test you on the subjects of “constitutionalism, liberty and order, civic participation in a representative democracy, competing policy-making interests, and methods of political analysis.” ( College Board )
To get the best score possible, you’re going to want to make sure you know what to expect when you sit down to take the test.
That’s why we want to break down exactly what’s on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam—as well as give you a few good tips on how to study for it.
The AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam tests students on their knowledge of a wide variety of topics surrounding the United States’ governmental bodies and institutions. The course itself will go over five units covering the following topics:
- Foundations of American Democracy
- Interactions Among Branches of Government
- Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
- Political Participation
It is also important to become familiar with all of the required Supreme Court cases. They are, after all…required! In the free-response section of your AP® U.S. Government Exam, you will have to answer four essay questions. The third of these questions is a SCOTUS comparison essay, in which you will be required to compare a non-required Supreme Court case with a required Supreme Court case, so get to know each case as well as possible!
The required Supreme Court cases for the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam in 2021 are:
Marbury v. Madison (1803) McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) Schenck v. the United States (1919) Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Engel v. Vitale (1962) Baker v. Carr (1962) Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) Roe v. Wade (1973) Shaw v. Reno (1993) United States v. Lopez (1995) McDonald v. Chicago (2010) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
What is the test format for the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam?
Students have 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete the exam. There is a 1 hour and 20-minute multiple-choice section, followed by a 1 hour and 40-minute free-response section. A full breakdown of each section is provided below:
Part A: Multiple-Choice (55 minutes) | Free-Response Section(1 hour, 40 minutes) |
There are four questions students must answer with an essay on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam. The questions are:
- Concept Application. Students are given a political scenario and must explain the impact of a political “institution, behavior, or process.”
- Quantitative Analysis. Students are given a piece of quantitative data, and they must show how that data relates to a political process.
- SCOTUS Comparison. Students are tasked with comparing a non-required Supreme Court case with a required one and showing how they’re relevant to one another.
- Argument Essay. Students must craft an argumentative essay based on required documents and evidence.
College Board suggests that students take at least 20 minutes to answer each question during the allotted time.
How is the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam scored?
The free-response and multiple-choice sections are scored differently. The multiple-choice section is scored by a computer that scans your answer sheet and records the total number of correct responses.
It’s worth noting that incorrect answers aren’t deducted from your score. So be sure to answer every question even if you’re unsure!
The free-response section is scored during an annual event called the AP ® Reading. This occurs during the first two weeks of June. Professors and high school teachers from all over the country gather to help read and score thousands of essays from the free-response section of every AP ® test.
The AP ® Exam’s scoring system is on a scale of one to five—with five being the best and one being the worst.
Here’s a good table that breaks down the score you could get and what it means.
| |
5 | Extremely well qualified. The highest score you can get on your AP® U.S. Government and Politics exam. This score typically guarantees college credit. |
4 | Very well qualified. While this isn’t the highest score possible, it’s still a very good score. You’ll typically get college credit with it. |
3 | . Not the worst but plenty of room for improvement. This is the usual threshold for colleges to give you credit, though not at the most competitive colleges. |
2 | Possibly qualified. If you can, you’ll want to retake the exam as schools most likely won’t give credit for this score. |
1 |
When it comes to the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam, you’ll want to aim for 3 or higher. Most colleges will give you college credit if you score within that range. But it does vary from school to school, so if you want to find out the score you’ll need, you should contact the school’s registrar’s office and ask for information about their AP ® credit policies. Alternatively, you can check the school’s website for more information.
NOTE: Schools sometimes change the score required for AP ® college credit. So be sure to check in with the school to make sure you have the most recent information.
What can I bring to the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam?
Below is a list of all the things you can bring with you into the exam room. Note: It’s possible that not all of the items will apply to you (e.g., the Student Accommodations Letter).
- Two No. 2 pencils with erasers. These will be used on the multiple-choice portion of the exam.
- Two black or dark blue ink pens. These will be used for the free-response questions. Be sure to bring black or dark blue ink pens only. Leave your gold glitter pens at home.
- A watch. This is a simple analog or digital watch with no internet access or alarms. Don’t even try to bring your smart watch in the room.
- The AP ® Student Pack. This is given to you just before you take your exam and contains a label that you need to place on your exam. Follow the labeling instructions carefully.
- Government- or school-issued ID. If you don’t attend the school where you’re taking the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam, you must also bring a government- or school-issued ID.
- College Board SSD Student Accommodation Letter. If you require accommodations beyond the regular exam, you’ll receive a letter that verifies this (e.g., you need a braille or large-type exam).
- Remember, you won’t have to bring all these things—but it’s in your best interest to be as prepared as you can for the exam.
Take a look at our Test Day Checklist to make sure you are 100% prepared to take your AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam when the time comes!
How do I study for AP ® U.S. Government and Politics?
Here are the best study tips for AP® U.S. Gov:
The best way to prepare for what’s on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam is through proper study tactics. Here are a few of the best ones you should employ to make sure you get the best score possible:
Study Tip #1: Talk to someone who’s been there before
One of the best ways to learn any topic is by talking to someone who has experience taking AP ® exams—and asking them questions.
It might seem simple, but many students often ignore this step and try to learn things on their own. While it’s possible to get a good score by studying by yourself, you’re actually short changing yourself by not drawing on the experience and expertise of others.
That’s why it’s a good idea to get mentorship from someone with experience in the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam—preferably a former student who scored high on the test themselves.
Sit down with them and ask them different questions on what to expect. Some suggestions:
How did you go about studying the topics?
What was the most difficult part of the exam and course?
If you could go back, what would you change about the way you studied and the topics you looked over?
These questions will give you a wealth of insight into the exam you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Study Tip #2: Read (and re-read) as much as possible
A big portion of the exam covers the reading and interpreting of foundational documents, Supreme Court cases, and multiple data sets. That’s why it’s so important that you’re both familiar with these readings and know how to interpret them.
The best way to do that is through good old-fashioned reading.
Make sure you read through all of your course material and review it frequently. Frequent reviewing is actually one of the most crucial factors when it comes to learning and retention.
It’s scientifically proven that the more consistently you review and repeat information to yourself each day, the better you remember it. So make sure you take time out of each day to read and review your material.
Study Tip #3: Take a lot of practice tests
The best way to get better at something is by practicing.
That’s why it’s so important that you take practice tests to help you get better at the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam. Only then can you expect to get a good score—and even improve your score.
If you don’t have much experience taking practice tests, check out John Moscatiello’s Step-by-Step Guide to taking a practice test like a pro .
Study Tip #4: Find resources that work
When it comes to studying for your exam, there is no “one size fits all”. Just because your older sister studied best with flashcards doesn’t necessarily mean that flashcards are right for you. We encourage you to take some time to figure out what study methods you are most comfortable with; it could be a mixture of everything!
We know it can be overwhelming starting from scratch. If you feel stuck, we suggest downloading our free AP® U.S. Government and Politics study guide as a jumping off point and going from there.
If you’re looking for live video reviews before the AP ® Exams, we will host live AP ® review sessions on our YouTube channel . As well as live sessions, you can review content for the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam here: AP ® Gov Content Review .
![ap government and politics essay rubric ap government and politics essay rubric](https://marcolearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/LOGO-question.png)
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MARCO LEARNING TERMS OF USE
Last Modified: 1/24/2023
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You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you, not the Company, have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness.
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You agree that we may record all or any part of any live online classes and tutoring sessions (including voice chat communications) for quality control and other purposes. You agree that we own all transcripts and recordings of such sessions and that these Terms of Use will be deemed an irrevocable assignment of rights in all such transcripts and recordings to us.
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Monitoring and Enforcement: Termination
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Without limiting the foregoing, we have the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity or other information of anyone posting any materials on or through the Website. YOU WAIVE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, LICENSEES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM ANY CLAIMS RESULTING FROM ANY ACTION TAKEN BY ANY OF THE FOREGOING PARTIES DURING, OR TAKEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, INVESTIGATIONS BY EITHER SUCH PARTIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.
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Content Standards
These content standards apply to any and all User Contributions and use of Interactive Services. User Contributions must in their entirety comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations. Without limiting the foregoing, User Contributions must not:
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(collectively, the “ Content Standards ”)
Copyright Infringement
If you believe that any User Contributions violate your copyright, please contact us and provide the following information:
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We may terminate the accounts of any infringers.
Reliance on Information Posted
From time to time, we may make third party opinions, advice, statements, offers, or other third party information or content available on the Website or from tutors under tutoring services (collectively, “Third Party Content”). All Third Party Content is the responsibility of the respective authors thereof and should not necessarily be relied upon. Such third party authors are solely responsible for such content. WE DO NOT (I) GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR USEFULNESS OF ANY THIRD PARTY CONTENT ON THE SITE OR ANY VERIFICATION SERVICES DONE ON OUR TUTORS OR INSTRUCTORS, OR (II) ADOPT, ENDORSE OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY OPINION, ADVICE, OR STATEMENT MADE BY ANY TUTOR OR INSTRUCTOR OR ANY PARTY THAT APPEARS ON THE WEBSITE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE BE RESPONSBILE OR LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM YOUR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION OR OTHER CONENT POSTED ON OR AVAILBLE FROM THE WEBSITE.
Changes to the Website
We may update the content on this Website from time to time, but its content is not necessarily complete or up-to-date. Any of the material on the Website may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no obligation to update such material.
Information About You and Your Visits to the Website
All information we collect on this Website is subject to our Privacy Policy . By using the Website, you consent to all actions taken by us with respect to your information in compliance with the Privacy Policy.
Online Purchases and Other Terms and Conditions
All purchases through our site or other transactions for the sale of services and information formed through the Website or resulting from visits made by you are governed by our Terms of Sale, which are hereby incorporated into these Terms of Use.
Additional terms and conditions may also apply to specific portions, services, or features of the Website. All such additional terms and conditions are hereby incorporated by this reference into these Terms of Use.
Linking to the Website and Social Media Features
You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part without our express written consent.
This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to:
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- Send emails or other communications with certain content, or links to certain content, on this Website.
- Cause limited portions of content on this Website to be displayed or appear to be displayed on your own or certain third-party websites.
You may use these features solely as they are provided by us, and solely with respect to the content they are displayed with and otherwise in accordance with any additional terms and conditions we provide with respect to such features. Subject to the foregoing, you must not:
- Establish a link from any website that is not owned by you.
- Cause the Website or portions of it to be displayed on, or appear to be displayed by, any other site, for example, framing, deep linking, or in-line linking.
- Link to any part of the Website other than the homepage.
- Otherwise take any action with respect to the materials on this Website that is inconsistent with any other provision of these Terms of Use.
The website from which you are linking, or on which you make certain content accessible, must comply in all respects with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.
You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to stop. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.
We may disable all or any social media features and any links at any time without notice in our discretion.
Links from the Website
If the Website contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties (“ Linked Sites ”), these links are provided for your convenience only. This includes links contained in advertisements, including banner advertisements and sponsored links. You acknowledge and agree that we have no control over the contents, products, services, advertising or other materials which may be provided by or through those Linked sites or resources, and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this Website, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.
You agree that if you include a link from any other website to the Website, such link will open in a new browser window and will link to the full version of an HTML formatted page of this Website. You are not permitted to link directly to any image hosted on the Website or our products or services, such as using an “in-line” linking method to cause the image hosted by us to be displayed on another website. You agree not to download or use images hosted on this Website or another website, for any purpose, including, without limitation, posting such images on another website. You agree not to link from any other website to this Website in any manner such that the Website, or any page of the Website, is “framed,” surrounded or obfuscated by any third party content, materials or branding. We reserve all of our rights under the law to insist that any link to the Website be discontinued, and to revoke your right to link to the Website from any other website at any time upon written notice to you.
Geographic Restrictions
The owner of the Website is based in the state of New Jersey in the United States. We provide this Website for use only by persons located in the United States. We make no claims that the Website or any of its content is accessible or appropriate outside of the United States. Access to the Website may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries. If you access the Website from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.
Disclaimer of Warranties
You understand that we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading from the internet or the Website will be free of viruses or other destructive code. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for anti-virus protection and accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to our site for any reconstruction of any lost data. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR TO YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY WEBSITE LINKED TO IT.
YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE WEBSITE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, THE COMPANY HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
Limitation on Liability
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY, ITS AFFILIATES, OR THEIR LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR DIRECTORS BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE WEBSITE, ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO IT, ANY CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE OR SUCH OTHER WEBSITES, INCLUDING ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, LOSS OF DATA, AND WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE.
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, licensors, and service providers, and its and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms of Use or your use of the Website, including, but not limited to, your User Contributions, any use of the Website’s content, services, and products other than as expressly authorized in these Terms of Use or your use of any information obtained from the Website.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
All matters relating to the Website and these Terms of Use and any dispute or claim arising therefrom or related thereto (in each case, including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New Jersey without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New Jersey or any other jurisdiction).
Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms of Use or the Website shall be instituted exclusively in the federal courts of the United States or the courts of the State of New Jersey in each case located in the County of Monmouth although we retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms of Use in your country of residence or any other relevant country. You waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts. You may not under any circumstances commence or maintain against us any class action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding.
Arbitration
By using this Website, you agree, at Company’s sole discretion, that it may require you to submit any disputes arising from the use of these Terms of Use or the Website, including disputes arising from or concerning their interpretation, violation, invalidity, non-performance, or termination, to final and binding arbitration under the Rules of Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association applying New Jersey law. In doing so, YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO COURT to assert or defend any claims between you and us. YOU ALSO GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION OR OTHER CLASS PROCEEDING. Your rights may be determined by a NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR, NOT A JUDGE OR JURY. You are entitled to a fair hearing before the arbitrator. The arbitrator can grant any relief that a court can, but you should note that arbitration proceedings are usually simpler and more streamlined than trials and other judicial proceedings. Decisions by the arbitrator are enforceable in court and may be overturned by a court only for very limited reasons.
Any proceeding to enforce this arbitration provision, including any proceeding to confirm, modify, or vacate an arbitration award, may be commenced in any court of competent jurisdiction. In the event that this arbitration provision is for any reason held to be unenforceable, any litigation against Company must be commenced only in the federal or state courts located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. You hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of those courts for such purposes.
Limitation on Time to File Claims
ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OF USE OR THE WEBSITE MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES, OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.
Waiver and Severability
No waiver by the Company of any term or condition set out in these Terms of Use shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of the Company to assert a right or provision under these Terms of Use shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
If any provision of these Terms of Use is held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of the Terms of Use will continue in full force and effect.
Entire Agreement
The Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Sale constitute the sole and entire agreement between you and Marco Learning LLC regarding the Website and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, regarding the Website.
Communications and Miscellaneous
If you provide us your email address, you agree and consent to receive email messages from us. These emails may be transaction or relationship communications relating to the products or services we offer, such as administrative notices and service announcements or changes, or emails containing commercial offers, promotions or special offers from us.
Your Comments and Concerns
This website is operated by Marco Learning LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company with an address of 113 Monmouth Road, Suite 1, Wrightstown, New Jersey 08562.
Please contact us for all other feedback, comments, requests for technical support, and other communications relating to the Website.
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AP U.S. Government and Politics CED Scoring Rubric: Argument Essay This document features general scoring criteria that apply to Free-Response Question 4: Argument Essay, regardless of specific question prompt. It was updated in the summer of 2023.
The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam has consistent question types, weighting, and scoring guidelines every year, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day. ... Develop an argument in the form of an essay, using evidence from required foundational documents and course concepts; Exam Questions and Scoring Information Article.
AP United States Government and Politics Scoring Rubric for 2020 Question 1: Argument Essay 7 points Reporting Category. Scoring Criteria Row A; Claim/Thesis (0-1 points) 5.A: ... AP United States Government and Politics Free-Response Question 4 Scoring Rubric, Effective Fall 2019 Author:
The Argument Essay differs substantially from the other free-response questions on the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam, but you can and should still follow the Kaplan Method (AP-AP). It is recommended that you take 40 minutes to plan and write your Argument Essay (as opposed to 20 minutes each for the other free-response questions), so ...
AP GOVERNMENT ARGUMENT ESSAY RUBRIC Name: _____ Topic: _____ THESIS / CLAIM Articulates a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt ... This rubric is based on guidelines found in the 2019 AP US Government and Politics Course and Exam Description. For more materials, visit tomrichey.net. Title: AP Goverment Argument Essay Rubric (2019)
Welcome to my course homepage for AP United States Government and Politics! It is my goal here to assemble a collection of resources to help students and teachers who are preparing for the AP Government exam. Foundational Documents. Supreme Court Cases.
Withdraw the legislation. Make concessions to the president. Negotiate with the president. Rally the public to influence the president. score of zero (0) is assigned to an answer that is off-task or is attempted but earns no points. score of dash (—) is assigned to an answer that is blank.
You will compare a required court case with a nonrequired one, explaining how they are related.- - Lastly, question 4 is an argumentative essay. 👉 Check out the 2023 AP US Government and Politics Free-Response Section posted on the College Board site. Scoring Rubric for the AP US Government Exam
The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam will test your understanding of the political concepts covered in the course units, including your ability to analyze the foundational documents and to apply Supreme Court decisions you studied in the course to real-life scenarios. Exam Duration. 3hrs. Update: Roe v. Wade.
The newly redesigned AP US Government and Politics exam includes an Argument Essay that is graded based on a six point rubric. In order to gain full credit, the argumentative essay must include a thesis (or claim), two relevant and specific pieces of evidence, an explanation of how the evidence connects with the claim, and acknowledge a counter-argument by refutation, concession, or rebuttal.
AP U.S. Government and Politics: Concept Application Example. Question 1 of the AP U.S. Government and Politics free-response section will always be the Concept Application prompt. This prompt will begin with a stimulus that is a short paragraph or two describing a political scenario. The paragraph (s) could be an excerpt from news media, a ...
Note: Some questions and scoring guidelines from the 2023 and earlier AP U.S. Government and Politics Exams may not perfectly align with the course and exam updates that take effect in the 2023-24 school year. These questions remain available because teachers say that imperfectly aligned questions still provide instructional value.
This is intended as an end-of-course review activity for practice with the argumentative essay format included on the AP United States Government and Politics exam since the 2018 redesign.
ap-us-government-and-politics-frq-4-scoring-rubric - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or view presentation slides online. FRQ Scoring Rubric
Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. You'll connect what you've learned about the founding principles of our government to the debates over how best to balance freedom and order. Topics may include: The intent of the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press) and how the ...
argument rubric for AP gov ap government argument essay rubric name: topic: thesis claim articulates defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and. ... This rubric is based on guidelines found in the 2019 AP US Government and Politics Course and Exam Description. For more materials, visit tomrichey. Download. AI Quiz. AI Quiz. AI ...
Each FRQ is worth 3-6 raw points. Here are the four types of FRQs you'll get on the AP Government exam: Concept Application (3 raw points) Quantitative Analysis (4 raw points) SCOTUS Comparison (4 raw points) Argument Essay (6 raw points) The free-response questions will ask you to integrate your knowledge of the various content areas covered ...
AP United States Government and Politics Free-Response Question 4 ...
The AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam is scored on the same rubric as the rest of the AP ® exams: On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest score. Each section of the exam itself accounts for a different percentage of your final score, though. To help you fully understand how the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam is scored, let ...
A good score on any Advanced Placement exam is generally considered to be a 3, 4 or 5. These scores mean you passed the exam. The College Board specifies a score of 3 as "qualified", 4 as "well qualified" and 5 as "extremely well qualified.". Depending on the specific colleges you apply to, a passing score on an AP® exam could also ...
Claim/Thesis (0-1 points) 5.A. Additional Notes: The claim or thesis must consist of one or more sentences that may be located anywhere in the response. A claim or thesis that meets the criteria can be awarded the point whether or not the rest of the response successfully supports that line of reasoning. Row B.
Concept Application Row A. Describe a political institution, behavior, or process in connection with a scenario. Start studying AP US Government and Politics FRQ Rubric. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Part A: Multiple-Choice (55 minutes) Free-Response Section (1 hour, 40 minutes) 55 questions. 50% of total exam score. 4 questions. 50% of total exam score. There are four questions students must answer with an essay on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam. The questions are: Concept Application.