If
you have ever heard of APUSH (AP US History), you probably heard that it is one
of the toughest classes at Windermere Prep. Compared to other schools, WPS offers
this course at 9th grade, while other schools offer it at 11th and 12th. I am
just going to flat out say that if you aren't willing to work hard and put in
the time, then this class is definitely not for you, as the work never stops.
Now as a former survivor of APUSH, I know a few things about how this class
works, and what it takes to succeed.
Outlines
The
first part of this course is outlines. Every night, you basically summarize a
part of a textbook chapter in a specific format, which Mr. Zoslow then checks
the next day. Every outline is a total of 3 points, so as long as you complete
it, you should get full credit. Of course it depends on how many pages your
reading is for that night, but my outlines were around 10 pages, give or take a
few pages. You might be stressing out during your first outline, and it might
take you a long time, but just know that they get easier as you continue on
throughout the year. My advice to you is to use every minute of the day for
outlines. Even 5 minutes at the end of another class can get you a few
paragraphs outlined. Don't worry about making everything perfect, because
honestly Mr. Zoslow just scrolls through it, and doesn't actually read
everything word for word.
KBATS
KBATS
are just a bunch of vocab words that you think are necessary to study for the
unit exam. The catch is that Mr. Zoslow doesn't give you a vocab list, but you
have to come up with the words yourself and then write definitions for them. My
suggestion is to either underline or highlight your KBATS while you are
outlining so you can go back and know which words you thought were important.
Some won't agree with me, but I found it easy to complete my KBATS while I was
outlining so that way I didn't have to worry about them later. You will just have
to determine what works best for you. Make sure you are only doing definitions
for words that are necessary, or you will end up with a couple hundred words
for each chapter. Lastly, DO NOT procrastinate these. I guarantee the last
thing you want is to have to complete a couple hundred vocab words in one
night.
EDQs
EDQs
(essential daily questions) are a necessity in this class if you want to
succeed. You get a specific question based off of your reading from the night
before, and you have to answer it in the form of an essay. When you come to
class the next day, there are usually 3-4 readers depending on time, and you
get 10 points for reading your EDQ, even if it is completely wrong. It
definitely takes a lot of courage to read in front of your classmates, but just
know that your classmates really don't listen to the EDQs. Even though you may
think that Mr. Zoslow isn't paying attention, he definitely is, so don't try to
slide in some wrong information or information from a different topic. There are
three main components that you have to include by the end of the year; thesis,
contextualization, and synthesis. You will gradually need to do all three, but
the first quarter is just composing a thesis. After you read your EDQ, Mr.
Zoslow will ask you to repeat your thesis. Don't worry about not knowing how to
write one in the beginning, but just make sure you know what you are talking
about. Don't try to make up information that isn't true or accurate, because
Mr. Zoslow will ask you about it. You want to make sure that you get your
readings done as soon as possible. When you get to the end of the quarter,
everyone is in the same boat as you, and then there are too many people and too
few days for everyone to read and get their points. At the end of the year for
me, there was a huge waiting list everyday for reading your EDQs, and some
people emailed 2-3 weeks in advance for a spot to read. You want to complete
them every night and not procrastinate doing them, because you will eventually
have to turn in an EDQ packet at the end with all of your essays. It is
definitely harder to write an essay and remember the information from a month
ago, rather than just writing it the night you learned the material.
Unit Exams
I'm
not gonna lie; the unit exams you will take for APUSH will SEEM very
impossible, but they aren't. After your first few tests, you learn what Mr.
Zoslow is looking for, and what it takes to get a good grade. When studying for
these exams, don't focus too much about the minor details, but make sure you
know the overall picture. You have the whole class period to complete the test,
so right when you walk in the door, make sure you already have your pens and
highlighters in hand. Trust me: every minute counts. There are 55 multiple
choice questions, and there is no possible way that you could get all of them
right. I would recommend to spend about 10 minutes on the multiple choice
because the essay is where you get the most points. When you get to the essay,
make sure you do a little 2-3 min outline of what you are going to write,
because that alone can get you 5 points. You get a point for everything you get
right, but a point off for something wrong, or even more points if it is a
really dumb answer, so just right everything that you know. However, if you are
unsure of a date or a specific detail, don't write it, because you may get a
point taken off for it. Make sure you frame the narrative, and for every person
that you introduce, make sure that you describe him/her and not just simply
write their name. If you are given documents, you MUST use all documents or
else you will get points taken off. Keep reminding yourself that you are in
APUSH, so make sure you don't find yourself focusing too much on other
countries. Lastly, sleep is the most important thing. If you don't get enough
sleep, your brain can't properly function, and you won't be able to remember
any of the information.
Grading the Unit Exams
All
of the APUSH tests are curved, which means that points are added on to your raw
score. Your raw score is the actual grade that Mr. Zoslow got from your exam,
but the curve is made based on how everyone else does. If everyone did really
good on the test, then the curve is going to be lower, but if everyone did bad,
the curve might be higher. There is what is called a floor, which is the lowest
possible score someone could get. If you get lower than the floor, then the
floor score is the one that shows up in the gradebook. For example, if someone
got a raw score of 20, the curve was 40, and the floor was a 65, then they
would get a 65 in their grade book. If someone got a raw score of 80, and the
curve was 40, then they would get a 99 because that is the highest grade you
could get. Just know that your first probably won't be the score that you
wanted, but it will get better from there.
Study tips
Use
your friends for resources, because they are going through the same struggles
that you are. Collaboration is key in this class, because there is so much
information that you can't possibly remember all of it. Use your prep book, and
watched jocz production videos. Before tests, look up practice essay questions
and write out a brief outline just to practice to ensure you know the
information. Take notes during class so that you make sure you are paying
attention and can later use them for a review resource.
The AP Exam
At
the end of the year, you will take the nationwide APUSH exam. It includes a
DBQ, a long essay, multiple choice, and short answer questions. Your grade is
given on a scale from 1-5, but don't expect that you are going to get a 5.
Remember that you are going against juniors and seniors, and a 5 is really hard
to get. I would definitely study a lot for this exam because you want to get at
least the passing grade of a 3. Also, at the end of the year there is a US
history subject test that is required for some colleges, so I would recommend
taking it so that way you don't have to worry about it when you are a junior or
senior.
One
thing to know about this class is that it never stops, not even during breaks
or on weekends. Even when you finish an outline, you always have one for the
next day or another assignment you should be doing to get ahead. Despite all of
the work that you have to do, it is really hard to do badly in this class, as
long as you complete all of the necessary work. Even if you get the floor on
every test but complete all of your EDQs, KBATS, and outlines, then you might
end up with a B. This class is very independent, and it teaches you how you best
learn and how to manage your time better. One thing to steer away from is
comparing yourself to other people. Don't panic if someone already had their
outline done for tomorrow when you haven't even started. Everybody works at
their own pace and in their own way. By the end of the year, you will be
thinking and working 10 times faster than you were in the beginning of the
year. Just know that at the end of the year, you will finally be able to say,
"I survived APUSH", and trust me, it's a great feeling.
