How to Pass the AP Government Test on the 1st Try

How to pass the AP Government test is a question on the minds of many students. America's best and brightest students will embark upon two weeks of testing in our most competitive high school program, Advanced Placement. In order to qualify for AP, students must pass a series of rigorous exams, aimed at determining who is qualified to enter the program. The current Advanced Placement tests will be administered May 3-7 and May 10-14, 2010. The first set of tests will cover one of my favorite topics; The United States Government and Politics. This test will be followed on Monday afternoon by the Comparative Government and Politics test.

The popular Advanced Placement program is highly regarded by high school students, as it allows them the opportunity to take actual college-level courses in their local high schools, which allows them to graduate high school with college credits. This can save parents and students a lot of money in college tuition, as students can take these courses for free and transfer these credits with them as they enter college.

Students all across the country are working feverishly to get in last minute preparation for the exams. The good news is that the administering College Board provides free practice questions and other resources for the AP exams on its website. I happen to teach social studies, which includes civics and government, so I am personally aware of what it will take for students to pass the first set of tests. I have drawn on my real-life experience and research in providing an overview of the content covered, along with suggestions on what to study in order to pass the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam. Below, I list fifteen areas that you will need to master. Good luck and happy testing!

How to Pass the AP Government Test
1. Know the constitutional underpinnings of United States government (5-15% of questions)
2. Know the different persons and events that led to the formulation and adoption of the constitution.
3. Understand how the three branches of government establish checks and balances. What does each branch do?
4. Be familiar with the federalist and anti-federalist movements in early American history.
5. Understand the different theories of democratic government, such as pluralism and elitism.
6. Familiarize yourself with political beliefs and behaviors (10-20% of questions)
7. Study the different beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders.
8. Describe how citizens learn about politics.
9. Understand the role of public opinion.
10. Know how citizens can participate in political life.
11. Understand why citizens hold differing political beliefs and behaviors.
12. Understand the different political parties along with the role of mass media. (10-20% of questions)
13. Study and understand the various institutions of national government such as the congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy, and the federal courts. (35-45% of questions)
14. Understand the forming of public policy, the role of institutions in the enactment of policy, and know the role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation. (5-15% of questions)
15. Know the different U.S. civil rights and civil liberties provided for us in the Constitution. (5-15% of questions)

Some of the best study sites and Practice Tests on the web to study for the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam are:

http://testprep.sparknotes.com/testcenter/ap/usgovt/
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/usgov/topics.html?usgovpol
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_questions/2086.html

SOURCES
University of Wisconsin
quia.com
pbs.org