5 Tips for a 5 on the AP Exam!

Oftentimes when preparing for the AP exams, trying to find a starting point in studying can be rather difficult. Depending on the format of your exam, you will need to plan accordingly to fit the needs of the test. You should start to refresh your memory with the topics you forget the least, as well as the ones that you remember struggling with the most. Tackling these hardships first will make the studying process much easier in the long run. 

So… now you’ve figured out what you’re going to start reviewing; now what??? Getting a review book isn’t necessary, but it helps you to backtrack on info and grade yourself to see how you’re doing. Knowing where you are can greatly improve your confidence on game day. My personal favorite review books are the ones offered by Barron’s and The Princeton Review. I specifically use the Barron’s AP Lit. and Comp. Review Book for my AP Lit. exam. It was only about $15 and has 7 practice exams. I got it on Amazon back in March (I believe it was on sale then.) Nonetheless, these books offer many practice exams as well as explanations for why answers are the correct ones. This feature has helped me so much in understanding my errors when studying as it explains the reasoning for the answer clearly. Try to utilize these features to help you think in a more sophisticated “test manner” that those AP graders are looking for. My favorite is using consonance to describe all of the cons of the exam in my complex, literary arguments...it really gets the graders excited.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND: Heimler’s History on YouTube (excellent for DBQs/LEQs and overall history review for World and APUSH); Marco Learning on YouTube (great for all subjects); Khan Academy (yeah, I know) for MCQs; old AP prompts and questions (available via Google search) 

DO NOT RECOMMEND: The Princeton Review: AP World: Modern History Review Book— I feel that this book collected more dust than pen ink in my sophomore year. I almost never used the practice exams and the text overviews that they went over to refresh your memory. 

One of the biggest things that has helped to motivate me to study for my AP exams is having a partner that I can study with. When you have sessions set up with a friend or classmate, you feel more inclined to study together, because that’s just it: you’re suffering together (and sometimes goofing around together), so it doesn’t seem too bad. Additionally, there’s healthy competition to do well, so you’ll want to try harder to improve yourself. These partners could be classmates that you see in afterschool AP reviews or even just good, old friends with whom you feel more comfortable. If you are having trouble finding the perseverance to study, just as I was, seriously consider studying with a partner or in groups over FaceTime or Zoom to boost your readiness. 

You heard that right! Amidst your heavy, concentrated study brain is a sad, exhausted student, there is such a thing as over studying and over-preparing. Don’t be that kid that walks into the exam all confident and then gets a 1 because they over-prepared and overthought every question. That’s just embarrassing. We pretend we do not see it. Instead, try to lay off a little and relax! Go lay on your bed, the couch, or even the floor, for a little and breathe (or scream) out your frustrations; it feels liberating; believe me. Go outside! Get some fresh air! After you work on a practice test or a practice section—whatever you fancy—take some time to recuperate. Like Steve Heimler of Heimler’s History, you can’t milk a brain-cow when you’ve got a bucket full of milk. Do some gentle exercise, listen to music—just blow off steam! Right now I’m listening to “Nobody but Me” by The Human Beinz (any of The Office fans?)  because nobody but me will be this stressed! You will feel more relaxed and ready to approach whatever is making you cry of frustration. Remember that the grade you get doesn’t define who you are. And yes, even that kid who scores a 1 is still an awesome, intelligent kid; he just had a bad set of cards on test day. 

You've probably heard this over, and over, and over, but it really is true. There’s no way of getting around it. Keep. A. Strict. Sleep. Schedule (if you can). Getting those eight hours really helps you to feel happier and more awake in class. The only reason why those token AP kids, who preach about their three hours of sleep, feel so rested is because their bodies are running on emergency mode. According to ResMed, when you get very little sleep, your body tries to make up for the lack of sleep with stress hormones, which keep you alert. The moral of the story is that they’re sleep-deprived. Keeping this point in mind, don’t be a token AP kid! Be smart (no offense, but...you should be...you’re in AP…), and regulate your sleep schedule! You will perform better and feel a lot better too!