top of page

AP ART HISTORY

AP Art History - Exam Overview

​

             The AP Art History Exam will test your understanding of the art historical concepts covered in the course units, as well as your ability to analyze and compare works of art and place them in a historical context.

 

 

Exam Duration
3hrs

 

 

Exam Components

Section 1: Multiple Choice - 80 questions | 1hr | 50% of Score
 

There are two types of multiple-choice questions on the exam:

  • Sets of 2-3 questions, with each set based on color images of works of art.

  • Individual questions, some of which are based on color images of works of art.

 

The multiple-choice section includes images of works of art both in and beyond the image set.
 

You’ll be asked to:

  • Analyze visual and contextual elements of works of art and link them to a larger artistic tradition

  • Compare 2 or more works

  • Attribute works of art beyond the image set

  • Analyze art historical interpretations

​

Section 2: Free Response - 6 questions | 2hrs | 50% of Score


There are six free-response questions on the exam:

  • Question 1 (paper and pencil exams): Long Essay–Comparison will ask you to compare a required work of art and another of your choosing and explain the significance of the similarities and differences between those works, citing evidence to support their claim.

  • Question 2 (paper and pencil exams): Long Essay–Visual/Contextual Analysis will ask you to select and identify a work of art and make assertions about it based on evidence.

  • Question 3: Short Essay–Visual Analysis will ask you to describe a work of art beyond the image set and connect it to an artistic tradition, style, or practice. Note: On the digital exam, Question 3 may be shown in a list of either 3 or 4 parts, but is always worth 5 points.

  • Question 4: Short Essay–Contextual Analysis will ask you to describe contextual influences of a work of art in the image set and explain how context can influence artistic decisions or affect the meaning of a work of art.

  • Question 5: Short Essay–Attribution will ask you to attribute a work of art beyond the image set to a particular artist, culture, or style, and justify your assertions with evidence.

  • Question 6: Short Essay–Continuity and Change will ask you to analyze the relationship between a provided work of art and a related artistic tradition, style, or practice.

  • Questions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (paper and pencil) / 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (digital) will include images of works of art.

 

 

AP Art History Exam – Scoring 


             For the first section (multiple-choice), for every question you answer correctly, you will get one point each. There is no negative marking. It means that even if your answer is wrong or left blank, no points are deducted. 

Next is the free response section. Its scoring system is a bit complicated. Rather than being graded by AI, it is reviewed by AP graders.

            For more information about AP Art exam and scoring, you can visit the College Board’s website.

 

 

AP Art History Exam – Credit 

            Just like all other AP exams, this exam is scored on a scale of 1 to 5. If you have a score of 3 or above on the exam, you qualify for university credit or advanced placement. All of this depends on the policy that your desired college or university has for AP exams. 
 

 

AP Art History Exam - Study Resources

• College Board Classroom Resources
• Khan Academy: AP Art History
• Smarthistory
• The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
• Albert.io
• ARCHES: At-Risk Cultural Heritage Education Series at Smarthistory                    

• Art 21

• The Art Assignment

• Art Through Time: A Global View, Annenberg Learner

• Artstor 

• Interactive Art History (curated set of 360cities panoramas) at the University of Nebraska Omaha

• Barron’s AP Art History

 

 

Best Ways to Prepare for the AP Art History Exam


Assess Your Skills

             Take a practice test to assess your initial knowledge of the material. Although the College Board AP Art History website provides a number of sample test questions and exam tips, it does not provide a complete sample test. However, practice tests are readily available in commercial study guides such as Barron’s AP Art History.
 

Study the Material

            The content and curriculum of the AP Art History course are based on three sets of big ideas and essential questions. These overarching concepts are intended to encourage critical thinking, analysis, and appreciation of art throughout time and place, and to foster your understanding of the field of art history.

 

Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

            The College Board Course Description includes many practice multiple-choice questions along with explanations of their answers. There are additional questions available in commercial study guides. As you go through these, try to keep track of which areas are still tripping you up, and go back over this theory again. Focus on understanding what each question is asking and keep a running list of any vocabulary that is still unfamiliar.


Practice Free Response Questions

            A fantastic way to prepare for the free response questions on the AP Art History exam is to practice with them.
 

Task Verbs

             Pay close attention to the task verbs used in the free-response questions. Each one directs you to complete a specific type of response. Here are the task verbs you’ll see on the exam.
 

  • Attribute: Identify the artist, culture, art-historical style, or object type of an unknown work of art.

  • Describe: Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic or work of art.

  • Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning. Explain “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas, explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.

  • Identify: Indicate or provide information about a work of art, including title or designation, artist, culture of origin, style, date, or materials, without elaboration or explanation.

  • Justify attribution: Provide rationale or justification for attribution of an unknown work of art using specific visual and/or contextual evidence.

 

Take Another Practice Test

            Take a practice test again to evaluate your progress. You should see a steady progression of knowledge, and it’s likely that you will see patterns identifying which areas have improved the most and which areas still need improvement.

 

 

Conclusion

           
            This is all you need to know about the AP Art History exam and how to prepare for it. You can follow these tips or you can keep revising your exam-day strategies, and we are sure you will ace the test as long as you put your 100% dedication. Good luck!

bottom of page