AP Human Geography

Have questions about the AP Human Geography Exam exam? Click below to find the answers you need.

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++answerWhat is the AP Human Geography Exam?

The AP Human Geography course is typically a year-long course, culminating in the Human Geography examination. According to the College Board’s course description, the “purpose of the AP Human Geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface.”

The goals of the AP Human Geography course are based on agreed-upon National Geography Standards, typically used at the college level. By the end of the Human Geography course or your own course of independent study in Human Geography, you should have mastered a defined set of skills. This guide provides a good general introduction to the subject - or a thorough review for students who have taken the course - but is not an adequate replacement for a class or program of independent study.

• You should be able to read and understand maps, as well as other types of geospatial data. You need to be able to employ critical thinking skills to analyze information presented in maps and geographic information systems and solve problems presented to you.

• You should develop a spatial perspective, allowing you to fully understand how different networks, cultural factors and environmental issues impact development in a given space or region.

• You must be able to use scale as a tool of critical analysis, recognizing that the same factors or events may influence things differently in a smaller or larger space, or in a local, regional, national or global context.

• You need to understand regionalization and the factors that have contributed to regionalization, including how regions are defined, how they form and how they may change over time.

• You should understand how various places relate to and interact with one another, and how different regions may be interconnected.

These essential skills will come into play in your study of Human Geography, as well as on the Human Geography examination. You may note one key, essential similarity: All of these standards require that you think critically, analyze and apply your knowledge of geography. This isn’t rote memorization of place names and geographic coordinates, but a thorough understanding of the importance and implications of the study of geography. answer++

++answerWhat is on the AP Human Geography Exam?

There is no single, assigned textbook for this course. Your teacher may have drawn from a number of sources to cover the topics included in the class. The Human Geography course includes the following topics, dictated by the College Board.

1. The Nature of the Study of Geography and Perspectives on Geographic Study. The following three concepts are critical to your study of geography: Space, place, and region. The course will also cover spatial organization and regionalization, and encourage students to apply geographic concepts broadly and imaginatively to recognize trends and ways in which geography has shaped the world.

2. Migration and Population is the study of human groups, how they move from place to place, and how they increase or decrease in size. Spatial and environmental factors are essential to a thorough understanding of population and migration in human geography.

3. Cultural Interactions and Processes include environmental factors on regionalization, and interaction between different regions on cultural traits and development. This is a key part of the study of human geography.

4. Political Organization and the political use of land has shaped not only the spaces in which we live, but also the interactions between regions within the world, both today and historically. You should expect questions concerning the political organization of space on the AP Human Geography examination.

5. Food Production, Land Use and Agricultural Activity in various regions, including the impact of environment, climate and population on the use of land for food production. This is an important part of the course and examination.

6. Economic Development and Industrialization will help you to understand the changing use of land and also how various regions have changed over time. You will need to understand, in particular, the economic differences between regions and spaces.

7. Urban Land Use and Cities, Incorporating Settlement Patterns, The Organization and Function of Urban Spaces and The Importance of Urban Communities forms a part of your understanding of geography, particularly when studied alongside the other elements and topics already discussed.

The Advanced Placement Human Geography test consists of two parts: Multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. There are 75 multiple-choice questions, making up 50 percent of your total grade. You’ll have one hour in total for this portion of the test. These questions are divided into the following categories:

• Nature and Perspectives on Geography: 5-10%

• Migration and Population: 10-17%

• Cultural Processes and Patterns: 10-17%

• Political Organization: 10-17%

• Agriculture: 10-17%

• Industrialization: 10-17%

• Urbanization: 10-17%

The free-response portion of the examination takes up the majority of the test time, 75 minutes. There are three free-response questions in total. In the sample essays later in this text, you’ll find examples of all the types of questions, along with sample answers in a high, average and low scoring range. For a high-scoring test, you need to do well on both the essay questions and the multiple-choice questions. Plan to allow 20 to 25 minutes per free-response question. Practice will help you to write well under time pressure.

You can opt to work your way through this guide and your textbook in a straightforward fashion, from beginning to end, or you may begin by taking one of the sample tests in the back of this text. If you opt to take a sample test, grade your test and assess the questions you struggled most with, devoting additional study time to those sections. When you’re preparing for the test, make time to take at least one sample test in circumstances similar to those of the actual test day. Set a timer, work in a quiet room, and limit your access to supplementary materials. It is particularly important that you practice writing under pressure, given the number of questions on the exam. answer++

++answerTackling the AP Human Geography Exam

Some people don’t find testing terribly anxiety-inducing. If that’s you, feel free to skip this section. These tips and techniques are designed specifically for students who do struggle with serious test anxiety:

• Control your breathing. Taking short, fast breaths increases physical anxiety. Maintain a normal to slow breathing pattern.

• Remember your test timing strategies. Timing strategies, like those discussed in relation to the free-response questions, can help provide you with confidence that you’re staying on track.

• Focus on one question at a time. While you may become overwhelmed thinking about the entire test, a single question or a single passage often seems more manageable.

• Get up and take a break. Of course, this is a timed examination, so avoid this if possible! However, if you’re feeling so anxious that you’re concerned you will be sick, are dizzy or are feeling unwell, take a bathroom break or get up to sharpen your pencil. Use this time to practice breathing exercises. Return to the test as soon as you’re able. A little break, while it costs you some time, can sometimes clear enough mental and emotional space for you to perform well on the test.

·Remember that, while this may be an important test, it is just a test. The worst case scenario is that you do not receive college credit and find yourself taking the class in college. Even if this is the case, the knowledge you gain in this guide will put you way ahead of your peers! answer++

++answerWhat to Take to the AP Human Geography Exam

• A sweatshirt or sweater, in case the testing room is cold.

• A bottle of water.

• At least two No. 2 pencils, sharpened.

• At least two black or blue ink pens.

• A wristwatch

A quick note here: there’s no need to take paper along. You’ll receive not only the test booklet, but also additional scratch paper to take notes and make outlines for your free- response questions. Plan to leave your phone in the car, but you may take a paperback book or magazine into the testing room if you’re early. answer++

++answerStaying Calm, Cool and Collected

Conquering test anxiety can help you to succeed on AP exams. Test anxiety is common and, if it’s mild, can help keep you alert and on-task. Unfortunately, if you suffer from serious shakes, it may leave you struggling to focus, cause you to make careless errors, and create potential panic.

• Allow plenty of time for test preparation. Work slowly and methodically. Cramming doesn’t help and will leave you depleted and exhausted.

• Remember to stay healthy. Sleep enough, eat right, and get regular exercise.

• Practice breathing exercises to use on test day to help with anxiety. Deep breathing is one of the easiest, fastest and most effective ways to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety.

While these strategies won’t eliminate test anxiety, they can help you to reach exam day at your mental best, prepared to succeed.

The night before the test, just put away the books. More preparation isn’t going to make a difference. Read something light, watch a favorite show, go for a relaxing walk and go to bed. Get up early enough in the morning to have a healthy breakfast. If you normally drink coffee, don’t skip it, but if you don’t regularly consume caffeine, avoid it. It’ll just make you jittery. Allow time to reach the testing location and get your desk set up and ready before the examination starts. answer++

++answerHow is the AP Human Geography Test Scored?

The test is scored on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of 5 is extremely well qualified to receive college credit, while a score of one is not qualified to receive college credit. While colleges and universities use scores differently, a score of 4-5 is equivalent to an A or B. A score of 3 is approximately similar to a C, while a score of 1-2 is comparable to a D or F. The examination is scored on a curve, adjusted for difficulty each year. In this way, your test score is equivalent to the same score achieved on a different year. The curve is different each year, depending upon the test. Approximately 46% of students receive a 4 or 5.

Scores of 4 to 5 are widely accepted by colleges and universities; however, scores of 3 or lower may provide less credit or none at all. More elite schools may require a score of 5 for credit and some schools; requirements vary depending upon the department. You will need to review the AP policies at your college or university to better understand scoring requirements and credit offered. While you’ll take the examination in May, your scores will arrive in July. You can have your scores sent to the college of your choosing, or, if you’re testing after your junior year, simply wait until you’re ready to apply to the colleges of your choice.

Scoring on the multiple-choice section of the examination is straightforward. You receive one point for each correct answer. There are no penalties for an incorrect answer or a skipped question. You should, if you’re unsure, guess. Even the most random guess provides you a one in four chance of a point. If you can narrow down the choices just a bit, your chances increase and, along with them, your possible test score. The free-response questions are scored from 1-8 depending upon the quality of the essay. Essay questions are graded by human graders, typically high school and college instructors. They have been trained to grade the essays by the College Board. You’ll find more information on specifics about scoring the free-response questions in the chapter that includes the sample essay questions and responses. answer++