AP Exam Study Strategies

Emma Nicholson

AP Exam season is now upon us. With the first exam being less than one week away, it is now peak study time for anyone in an Advanced Placement class this year.

With events like Junior prom, Senior Project, spring sports, and much more on the horizon, all Advanced Placement students are encouraged to begin their studying as soon as possible if they have not done so already. This will ease the stress during the week of your test, in which you could  have multiple exams within the span of a few days.

There are many strategies that can be used for studying; below is a list of the strategies proven most effective for students in the past, along with the price and other information.

College Board Resources; Free

https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/takingtheexam/preparing-for-exams

The College Board (who administers AP exams) has a multitude of resources on their website linked above. These guidelines can give you an idea of exactly what to study, exam format, and practice questions. These practice questions will be very close to those that you will be given on test day, so take advantage of this opportunity.

Quizlet; Free

https://quizlet.com

One of the most basic ways to study, Quizlet is great for classes like AP US History, Psychology, or Government, that may require memorization of a lot of vocabulary. This is a great tool to get the basis of what you need to study, and overall to refresh your mind of any terms you may have forgotten over the course of the year.

 

AP Multiple Choice Practice on High School Test Prep; Free

https://www.highschooltestprep.com/ap/

High School Test Prep is a free online website that provides students with practice multiple choice questions in almost all AP subjects. These practice multiple choice questions can be great prep for the multiple choice sections of the tests. For an even more effective practice, try timing yourself with the amount you will be given for the exam, and see how you score!

 

(Click on a subject below and the link will take you directly to the site!)

Barron’s AP Preparation Books; Can be found on Amazon for $12-$17 or can be borrowed for free in the FHS Library!

Barron’s is a popular brand for AP Exam prep books. With a book for every exam offered, you will find that these act as great resources to summarize content and provide an overview of each section. They go in depth on what is important for test day, focusing on just the right ideas. You will find that many of these books are organized by chapter making them a great tool to match up with the content you covered in class.

 

Classroom Resources

Talk with your teacher and see if they have any resources that might be available to you; this could include old practice tests, websites they recommend, or strategies that have worked for past students. Depending on your class you may also have access to a Google Classroom review folder online.

 

Best of luck to all AP students!