AP US Government Self-Study and Homeschool

Self-Studying for AP US Government

Are you looking to self-study AP Government? You've come to the right place! We'll give you some tips and tricks to help you 1) decide whether you want to self-study the course and 2) how to go about the process! 🎉

If you are homeschooling or self-studying, confirm exam registration deadlines and AP Classroom access as early as possible.

---

Pros and Cons of Self Studying ➕➖

Let's go through some of the positives and negatives of self studying an AP course!

Pros ➕

• 🧑 Anyone can self study. Most students think that taking an AP exam means you MUST take the class at your school. However, with self-studying, you may be able to earn college credit or placement if your score meets a college's AP policy. Credit is not guaranteed, so check each college's AP credit guidelines. You're not bound by prerequisites and what your school offers, so this is a big bonus. 🎒
• 📆 You have a lot more flexibility. Since you are not bound to a teacher, you have the flexibility to create your schedule! Additionally, you can choose how and when to study since you don't have a class you need to go to every day. 🤔
• ⏰ You can work at your own pace. You're able to study for the course whenever you'd like. If you think you have a solid foundation and can study the course in 3 months, you can do that! If you want to study over the summer and throughout the year, you can do that too! 🙌

Cons ➖

• ⏲ Self studying requires good time management skills. Although flexibility is a super big positive, you want to make sure you have good time management skills before you self study a course. If you wait until the last minute to start studying for the exam, it might be super difficult to grasp all the content. 😬
• 👨‍🏫 You won't have a teacher to guide you with every piece of content. Although there are tons of resources online, nothing can completely replace a teacher. If you love that face-to-face interaction, self studying might be a bit more difficult for you. 🤔
• ✍ There can be logistical steps to register for the AP Exam as a self-studier. Contact your school's AP coordinator early—or another local school if necessary—to ask whether they can order and administer the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam for you. Self-studying students typically need to join an exam-only or class section set up by the AP coordinator so they can be included in AP Classroom and complete any required College Board setup on time.

---

Tips for Self Studying AP Gov 🏫

1. Use the Course and Exam Description 📜

The AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description (AP course framework) is the official guide to what the course covers and how the exam is structured. It outlines the required units, skills, exam format, and includes sample questions, so it should be the foundation of your study plan.

It explains the required content and skills for the exam and includes sample questions you can use to understand the test format.

The AP Gov AP course framework breaks down the class into 5 core units. College Board also lists the weight each unit has on the multiple-choice section of the exam. Use the unit weightings to guide your multiple-choice review, but do not neglect any unit: free-response questions can draw on concepts from across the course, and all five units are testable. ⏰

One more thing: the AP U.S. Government and Politics course includes a political science research or applied civics project. This project is part of the course framework, even though it is not a separate timed section on the AP exam. If you're self-studying or homeschooling, consider completing a small research or civics project anyway so your preparation matches the full course more closely.

AP US Government Breakdown

---

2. Have a plan for memorizing the Supreme Court cases and foundational documents

🏛️As you might have noticed in the AP Gov course materials, there are required Supreme Court cases and foundational documents you need to know well for the AP exam. For the required Supreme Court cases, know the facts, issue, holding, and reasoning, and practice applying them to new scenarios and to nonrequired cases. For the foundational documents, know the main arguments and how they connect to course concepts.

We have guides to help you master both the Supreme Court cases, and the foundational documents! 😊

A view from outside the Supreme Court of the United States! Image from Pixabay

---

3. Make a study schedule and stick to it! 🗓

Making a study schedule is super important when you are self-studying a course! As I mentioned before, you want to make sure you have the best time management skills possible. ⏰ Here are some tips when creating a study schedule:

• 🤔 Skim through each of the units in the AP Gov course materials. Which ones do you already know a lot about? Which ones might you struggle with? Use the answers to those questions to guide your planning.
• 📝 Make sure you leave 1-2 weeks before the AP exam to review!
• 📜 Build in the foundational documents and court cases into your studying throughout the year! You don't want to have to memorize them all just before the exam.
• 💻 As part of your plan, check with an AP coordinator early so you know your exam registration timeline and how you'll access AP Classroom materials.

---

4. Practice, practice, practice! 😁

Let's look at the structure of the AP exam:

• Multiple Choice (accounts for 50% of your score) 📃
  • 55 questions
  • 80 minutes
• Free Response (accounts for 50% of your score) ✍
  • 4 questions
    • #1—Concept Application 📝
    • #2—Quantitative Analysis 📈
    • #3—Supreme Court Case Comparison ⚖
    • #4—Argument Essay 🗳
  • 100 minutes

There are lots of practice tests on the Internet that you should take advantage of if you decide to self-study the course. 🎉 There are some questions available in the Course and Exam Description, but tons more in review books 📚 you can purchase. You can also use reputable AP Gov review books for additional practice.

It is especially important that you practice the free-response questions ✍, as this is where many students struggle. When creating your study schedule, try scheduling some practice free-response sections 2-4 times a month (depending on the time you have left before your AP exam).

Make sure you grade your practice FRQs with the College Board rubric! Doing this will help you get used to the structure before you sit down to take the real exam! 📝

---

In Closing

Remember, you've got this! Whether you decide to self-study, take the class online, or not take it all, we won't judge! Make sure you make the decision that is best for you and your mental health!

Good luck! 🎉

---