AP United States Government and Politics Exam Overview for Free Response Questions

The AP Exam assesses the five units of the course with the following exam weighting on the multiple-choice section:

Units for AP U.S. Government and Politics	Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section)
Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy	15%–22%
Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government	25%–36%
Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights	13%–18%
Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs	10%–15%
Unit 5: Political Participation	20%–27%

Section II: Free Response

4 Questions. 100 minutes. 50% of Exam weight.

The second section of the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam includes four free-response questions, each weighted equally. You have 1 hour and 40 minutes to answer four free response questions. It is suggested that you spend approximately 20 minutes each on Questions 1, 2, and 3 and 40 minutes on Question 4.

Question Type	Total Points	Exam Weight	Suggested Timing
Question 1: Concept Application	(3 points)	12.5%	20 minutes
Question 2: Quantitative Analysis	(4 points)	12.5%	20 minutes
Question 3: SCOTUS Comparison	(4 points)	12.5%	20 minutes
Question 4: Argument Essay	(6 points)	12.5%	40 minutes

Learn More

Each of the 4 question types has very specific guidelines. The following pages will discuss each one individually, providing tips, rubrics, and explanations. Be sure to check out all four pages as you will be assessed throughout the course based on the guidelines. It is also helpful to come back and review the information before completing an assigned FRQ.

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