How long is the world history ap exam


Total Time Commitment for AP Exams - Breaks Included?

Understandably, AP exams can be a source of stress, but knowing what to expect can definitely help with managing that pressure. The AP World History exam officially is 3 hours and 15 minutes long. This includes the multiple-choice and short-answer sections totaling 1 hour and 55 minutes, a 10-minute reading period for the document-based question, and 1 hour and 40 minutes for the document-based question and long essay question combined.

There will also be a break between the multiple-choice/short-answer section and the free-response section, typically about 10 minutes. Some variability might occur with starting times or length of breaks depending on the testing site administration, but this is generally what you can expect. If you consider a bit of time before the exam starts to settle in and get instructions, as well as some time at the end to collect materials, a safe bet is to plan for about 4 hours from arrival until you're completely done. Good luck with your preparation!

2 years ago

The Complete Guide to AP World History Modern Exam [Updated for AP 2025 Exam]


AP World History is one of the most popular AP courses offered by the College Board. In 2022, over 314,716 students took the AP World History exam.

The AP World History Modern exam covers historical developments from c. 1200 to the present. It will test topics and skills discussed in your Advanced Placement World History course. If you score high enough, your AP score could earn you college credit.

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What is on the AP World History Modern exam?

The AP World History Modern exam covers a wide range of topics related to the history of the world, from the pre-Columbian era to the present day. 

These topics include the rise and fall of civilizations, the development of major religions, the spread of trade and technology, the impact of colonialism, the rise of nationalism, the Cold War, and globalization. 

In addition to these specific topics, the AP World History Modern exam also covers several broader

Before you start studying for the AP World History exam, you should get the inside scoop on its format and content. The types of questions you'll see might differ from your expectations. It's especially smart to practice writing essay outlines based on past questions before you're faced with fresh prompts on test day.

In this article, we'll go through the structure, content, and question types on the AP World History exam and provide some helpful tips for acing it!

 

How Is the AP World History Exam Structured?

The AP World History exam is three hours and 15 minutes and consists of two sections, each of which contains a Part A and a Part B. Here's a basic overview of these sections before we get into the nitty-gritty below:

  • Section 1, Part A: Multiple Choice
  • Section 1, Part B: Short Answer
  • Section 2, Part A: Document-Based Question (DBQ)
  • Section 2, Part B: Long Essay

It should be noted that the AP World History exam has undergone some big changes for the 2019-20 school year. Instead of covering thousands of years of human history and development, now it will cover only the years 1200 to the present; as a result, the exam has been renamed AP World Histor

The AP ®  World History: Up-to-date exam covers historical developments from c 1200 to the display. It will test topics and skills discussed in your Advanced Placement World History: Modern course.  If you score high enough, your AP score could earn you college credit !

Check out our AP World History Guide for what you need to comprehend about the exam:

AP Nature History Exam Overview

The AP World History: Modern exam takes 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete and is serene of: a multiple-choice, short respond, and free response section.

Timing

Number of Questions

% of Exam Score

Section 1, Part A

55 minutes

55 multiple choice questions

40%

Section 1, Part B

40 minutes

3 short retort questions

20%

Section 2, Free Response

60  minutes

1 document-based question

25%

Section 2, Free Response

40 minutes

1 long essay


15%

AP World History Question Types

Multiple-Choice

AP Earth History: Modern multiple-choice questions are grouped into sets of usually 3-4 questions. They are based on primary or secondary sources, including excerpts from historical documents or writings, im how long is the world history ap exam

How to Study for the AP World History Exam

This blog post was originally published on March 8, 2022, but has been updated with the most current information about the test.

The AP World History: Modern exam is one of the longest APs (about 3 hours and 15 minutes), and requires a large breadth of knowledge. The test is fully digital as of May 2025, but the length has not changed. Although the exam covers historical events around the globe from the years 1200 to 2001, World History is less focused on the memorization of specific details than on the understanding of broad historical patterns, such as environmental changes, social movements, and technological advancements.

With preparation, tenacity, and the right kind of practice, students can easily overcome the challenges presented by the AP World History exam, and learn valuable writing and critical thinking skills in the process!

What is on the AP World History Exam?

The AP World History exam contains multiple choice and short answer questions, one document based question, and one long essay. Here's the breakdown:

Multiple Choice

55 mins/55 questions

Multiple choice questions usually come in sets of 3-4 based on