U.S. History
The United States History Subject Test assesses your knowledge of and ability to use material commonly taught in U.S. History and social studies courses in high school.
Anticipated Skills
- Familiarity with historical concepts, cause-and-effect relationships, geography, and other data necessary for understanding major historical developments
- A grasp of concepts essential to historical analysis
- An ability to use historical knowledge in interpreting data in maps, graphs, charts, or cartoons
Recommended Prep
- A one-year, comprehensive course in U.S. History at the college preparatory level is essential.
- Social studies courses and outside reading could be helpful also. Overall, prepare with a variety of reading approaches and academic courses, including courses in United States History that focus on pre-Columbian times to the present.
More specifically, review the sample questions here. Review your U.S. History textbook, too, paying careful attention to any areas you're weak in, as well as to "periodization," the trends within major periods. Timelines are useful tools for doing this.
What's the best textbook?
The test is not tied to any one particular textbook. Periodically, teachers are surveyed about what they teach in their U.S. History courses and how much time they spend on specific topics. This data is used to set the specifications for the test.
For more information, including sample test questions, download a free copy of SAT Subject Tests Preparation Booklet (.pdf/2.34M).
