#ap lang tips

ap classes can be super stressful, especially if you’re taking multiple. here’s the best advice i have on being successful in them after surviving high school! also, please feel free to add any advice in the reblogs or comments<3 thank you! 

• read your textbook (and take notes!!) i quickly learned that i did so much better in a class when i had done the textbook readings for each chapter. usually teachers go about a chapter a week, which isn’t super tough to keep up with if you divide it into chunks (i’ll make a post soon on how i took notes from the textbook) 

• do your homework, and do it well. some nights, your homework will be a lot. but you really should do as much of it as you can. (i’m emphasizing this for math classes because math homework is usually super similar to what you’ll see on the test, but it is important review for every class). Work with the book next to you, use khan academy, mark questions that you need help with (and get help), and do it on time. your grades will thank you, and so will your teacher!! 

• my strategy to review for in class tests: 

1.) review vocabulary using flash cards or quizlet (i’d actually recommend making quizlets for each chapter so u can use it to review for the ap test later)

2.) use your notes or textbook summaries to create your own summaries of the current chapter(s) on blank pieces of paper (take notes on your notes, explain important concepts/main ideas, write down important dates/people/equations, include practice problems for math/science courses) (keep these summary pages in a folder & organized for when you’re reviewing for the ap test) 

3.) know how to explain all of the concepts (either out loud or in writing) without looking at the textbook for answers. (i usually try to answer the textbook’s essential questions/ section questions using as much concrete evidence as possible to prove the answer)  

(do this over 3 separate days AT LEAST for in class tests (day one vocab, day two create summaries of chapters, day three explain chapters outloud), and over several weeks for the ap test) 

• DO! NOT! PROCRASTINATE!

literally everyone says this, but seriously do not procrastinate and high school won’t be as miserable for you as it is for other people. do your homework on time, divide your note taking into different days, plan ahead, do work right as you get home or during class. 

• talk to your teacher if you’re seriously struggling with the work load, and let them know if you’re going through a hard time in life and it’s affecting your school work. this can be scary, but usually they don’t want you to want to die! so just let them know, and they’ll give you advice / help with it and will support you. communication is so important. 

possible structure for an email to communicate an issue with them: 

“hi _____(teachers name)_____, 

i’m having a hard time completing my work recently because of (reason why, be honest). is it okay if i can have an extension until (date in the near future that you can turn it in and please stick to this date btw) (please)? 

thank you, __(your name)__” 

(just for more explanation: my dog died in march during my senior year. i emailed my ap environmental science teacher, my ap statistics teacher, and my ap lit teacher the same email: “hi, my dog died today and i’m having a hard time concentrating on my work, so i won’t be able to finish it today. may i have an extension for my work this week until (day i knew i could turn it in abt a week later)? thank you! -jillian” they all were understanding and gave me an extension. i said the same thing when my aunt died, and the same thing when i was in the hospital after a long boarding accident. i also let teachers know during junior year when i was having anxiety, or during first sem senior year when i was working heavy hours) 

Hello! I took the AP Lang exam last year (2017) and I decided to give back by sharing some exam prep tips to you guys. Good luck with this class and good luck x2 with the exam! :-)

Take advantage of the resources right in front of you. There are a lot of posts about AP Lang on Tumblr alone, and most of them have links to practice books and stuff! Honestly, the memes from the AP exam in 2016 helped me out during the exam in 2017 because they used the same story!! But that’s my personal experience haha.

Practice reading. Read for leisure, because it’ll really help. Go through your old material from class and redo some homework. 

Try getting a practice book. You can get a used one from book sales and you can also find free PDFs online! The internet is amazing, isn’t it? 

There’s a hashtag on twitter (i’m not sure if it’s still active) called #aplangchat, and I know it’s for a specific school but the tweets are public so you can go over it and see some tips from helpful teachers :)

Get out of your house every once in a while! Acads are life, I get u but it’s so important to take breaks and enjoy yourself from time to time. You deserve it!

Check out the AP website because they post student essays on there. Annotate their work, extract it. Review them and understanding why they garnered said score. Here is a link to the free-response questions from 2017, and here’s a link to a sample essay by a real test taker.

Practice, Practice, Practice!! With writing, the only way to get better is to keep doing it, so what if your content is ugly? That’s okay. We’re all here to learn and to improve, and most importantly, to have fun with it! :) Believe in yourself!!

Rest. Get enough sleep and take care of your body! It’s your test-taking vessel hehe. 

Consult your classmates. All/Most of y’all will take the exam, so it’ll be nice to get help from each other / support one another during exam season. Peer reviewing is super helpful, the greatest tip you’ll hear could come from your peers. 

Relax. Pray. and Believe in yourself. You got this!! 

That’s it for now. If you have any questions, my ask box is always open! :)