Hello all! I'm struggling a bit with my AP Lang essays. Are there any places where I can find some examples of past essays to understand what evaluators are looking for? Thanks in advance!
Absolutely! For AP Lang, the College Board website is a treasure trove of resources because it provides past AP exam free-response questions, along with scoring guidelines, sample responses, and score distributions. These can really offer an insight into what is expected in the essays.
You can go to the AP English Language and Composition Exam page on the College Board website. Here, you will find the "Free-Response Questions" section for several years which will give you a good amount of material to work with.
In reviewing these essays, pay attention to the structure, evidence, and rhetorical techniques used. Notice also the feedback that reads "High Scoring", "Middle Scoring", or "Low Scoring", which further illustrates what is effective (or ineffective) in these responses.
Also, consider setting up a study group with your classmates - you can each take a stab at responding to the prompts, then compare your work. That's likely to provoke some insightful conversation about different ways to approach the prompt, and other perspectives on the text.
Lastly, I would suggest asking your teacher for additional feedback on your writing. Teachers often have a pretty good sense of what the graders on the AP exam are looking for!
Remember, practice is key in being successful in AP Lang:
1. Practice multiple-choice and free-response questions regularly.
2. Consistently review rhetorical devices and terms.
3. Regularly read and analyze non-fiction works of varying difficulty and topic.
I hope this help and best of luck with your exam preparation!
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