With the ever-increasing popularity of Advanced Placement classes, the weeks leading up to AP testing become increasingly stressful as students feel the need to perform well. Fortunately, students have many ways to study for AP exams.
The extensive AP curriculum at UHS also includes a complementary set of resources and a large number of study materials online. By viewing AP courses as an exercise in resource management, students can maximize their studying and score on these exams.
Understanding Exam Structure
Understanding the different sections of each AP exam is vital, especially for first-time students. AP exam formats are constantly changing; for instance, 28 AP exams will be administered digitally for the first time this school year.
Though exam structure varies among subjects, almost every exam has a multiple-choice section, which can contain 45 to 100 questions depending on the exam. Many tests also have a free-response section whose questions typically vary far more in format by exam. Students may be asked to describe their procedure on an AP Calculus problem, mark a diagram on an AP Biology test or explain historians’ perspectives on an AP United States History question.
The CollegeBoard website can explain the format of each exam and provide a breakdown of what concepts students are typically tested on. For instance, unit two of AP Chemistry, “Compound Structure and Properties,” has an exam weighting of 7-9%, while unit three, “Properties of Substances and Mixtures,” has a weighting of 18-22%.
Memorizing Content
By far the most significant stage of preparing for an AP exam, students must utilize various resources to study properly in the weeks before the exam.
First, students can review class content through the materials provided in class, such as notes, essays or labs. Methodically reviewing each unit and creating new diagrams or study guides can help a student recall the topics learned throughout the year. Considering the content they have learned throughout the year, students can effectively create connections across units and potentially to the overarching themes prevalent in an AP course.
To reinforce these concepts, students may use content provided by teachers or online resources to test their knowledge on specific subjects. Experienced teachers can help students identify the most important topics on the exam and a specific student’s areas of weakness.
Then, students can remedy these issues through additional review. Fortunately, if extra resources are required, students can quickly find them online. CollegeBoard provides a selection of official resources from AP Daily videos to past questions.
Additionally, it can be helpful to refer to videos or articles written by teachers on a specific subject. One such resource is Heimler’s History, a YouTube channel created by former history teacher Steve Heimler that is popular with students taking history subjects. The channel provides content reviews and tips for what to do in different situations during the exam.
These resources can help fill in gaps in students’ classwork. They are also essential for students who are self-studying for tests and may not have had the experience of a class.
Pre-Exam Cram
Although cramming–often a few days or hours ahead of an exam–is typically not recommended, many students still find themselves in a situation where they need to quickly understand a topic for their exam.
To avoid the panic associated with this practice, students should work on a plan to reduce stress by emphasizing the most important topics they need to study directly before the exam. Since it is nearly impossible to understand every topic thoroughly in a short amount of time, students must prioritize the most prevalent topics to maximize their scores.
Still, students must expedite their studying on these topics. Watching short videos or skimming over exam questions can prove more efficient than reading through an entire lesson’s notes. Asking a teacher to explain the subject or studying with classmates may also help fill knowledge gaps overlooked while studying individually.
Ultimately, students hoping to pass or even score a five on an AP exam must utilize all available resources. From class materials and online resources to teachers and peers, resources at UHS are abundant–it is up to the student to maximize their experience.
