#ap tips

ok i know this year’s ap exams aren’t anywhere close to the past ap exams. regardless, here are some tips regarding studying for ap tests. hope this helps. 

1. start studying at least a month in advance. aka start studying now. i know that’s gonna sound crazy but please don’t cram it all in 4 days (or less!!!!) before the exam

2. make a schedule. this is so you know what topics you should be studying/reviewing each day leading up to the test(s)!

3. please don’t overwork yourself. study a reasonable amount each night. don’t go crazy and cram or try and tackle an entire subject in one night. take it step by step. you know what i mean when i say don’t overwork yourself. 

4. get the review books if you can. i got the ap us history review book from princeton (the big ones, if you google it, you’ll find them) and it was soooo helpful. i actually got this before the exam and would go through each chapter before our tests. but this was sooooo helpful, especially the multiple choice (even though i know there’s no mc on the exam this year).

5. even though there is no multiple choice, still study the facts and concepts. for the frqs/dbqs/response questions, you will still need the basics and even the specifics. don’t just blow it off because it’s an essay. you still need all the knowledge from this year if you know what i mean. but still do know how to do the response questions :)

6. watch review videos!!!! college board has put some out and there are thousandssssss on youtube that you could watch (i personally love crash course-- love john green). but make sure you are actually retaining the information. don’t just sit there with your eyes glossed over while you “study.” if you’re having difficulty with a topic, i would def recommend watching videos for clarification. 

7. don’t study what you already know. this is kinda a no brainer. it’s just a waste of time. you know that george washington was the first president of the united states, don’t study that! you know that a supply curve is upward sloping and a demand curve is downward sloping, don’t study that! study what you DON’T KNOW!!!! 

best of luck on your ap exams :)

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) 

Hi guys! Seeing that the August SAT is right around the corner, I thought I’d give my two cents for which studying tips helped me do fairly well on the SAT (if you want to know my score, shoot me a message! otherwise, I don’t think I really need to tell everyone publicly).

I did an SAT course with a CBO for five weeks in July last year and did not improve At All from the first to last week, but I went up 80 points when practicing by myself in the weeks before the August SAT, so here’s what I did!

Take full practice tests. So much of the SAT is just measuring your ability to take the test itself -- your skills and intelligence can only take you so far. Knowing this, it’s so important to take as many full practice tests as you can in order to get the gist of the types of questions they ask and to be more familiar and comfortable with them.

Study in a testing environment. Go to a library where you can sit for 3-4 hours and take the test. Do this with breaks and everything -- try to mimic the test day as much as possible. This is so you can be as comfortable as possible when taking the actual test, and nerves won’t be as big of a deal, which is extremely important. 

Go over the questions you get wrong. We generally get the same types of questions wrong -- whether they’re words in context or geometry -- and because of this, you should recognize them and work on them. You’re not going to improve until you nip these types of problems in the butt.

Learn techniques that work for you. As aforementioned, the SAT is pretty much all about mastering the test -- from the timing to the types of questions. There are a ton of techniques, and you need to find which ones will help you get the test done most effectively. Personally, I use my calculator A Lot during that portion because I’ve been using a graphing calculator since seventh grade and I’m used to that, whereas I know a lot of people who would rather do it mentally because that’s faster to them. Both are valid, but they work differently for other people. I can make another post on the techniques that helped me in each section if you guys want, or you can message me to talk about it!

Study as often as you can. This is more during the school year, but take this from experience -- studying consistently really really really helps. Especially because a lot of these techniques only work for a standardized test like the SAT, you lose some of these skills if you don’t practice them. I went down A Lot from the first time (August) and my second (December) simply because I hadn’t touched the test more than three times within those months (which I don’t suggest doing). Try to make time for studying in your schedule; do what works for you, whether that’s studying grammar rules for half an hour to doing a no calculator math section during your lunch.

Read more. It’s really easy to get bogged down by the dreaded classical lit passages in the reading section (PLUS the fact that it’s the first and longest section of the test), so it’s useful to be well read and familiar with those types of passages. Last summer, I threw Pride and Prejudice and Anna Karenina in my mix of books to read, and I’m sure it really helped.

Spend more time on your tough sections. This is pretty much the same reasoning as tip #3, but it’s important anyway. Why spend time on the writing section everyday if you’re averaging 2 wrong when you can devote that time to math? Just be sure to still practice them, but not fuss over it.

Take breaks. This is important!!! Don’t spend a billion hours studying everyday; it’s useful to have a fresh pair of eyes when looking at a new test. Before the August SAT, I went to the library everyday to take a practice test from 8-12 and had the rest of the day to chill and not worry about it (unless I got a lot wrong -- then I’d go over a few questions). Find a balance.

Be realistic. Finally, don’t expect to go from an 800 to a 1600 in a month. I have a friend who went from averaging in the 1100s to the high 1300s at the end of the five weeks because she studied a lot every single day. If you’re not doing that, don’t expect a super high increase (unless you get lucky hehe). Additionally, given the curve, it’s much easier to go from a 900 to an 1100 than a 1400 to a 1600, so keep that in mind before you beat yourself up about your score!

~ how to get a 5 in ap world history ~

Hi everyone! Now that everyone’s going back to school, I figured this would be a good time to make this post. I took ap world history over the past two years. I took the exam in May and got a 5. I wanted to share some of my tips for how to succeed in your class and get a good score on the exam. 

Please note that though some of these tips are broad and should be followed by everyone really (like doing your notes) others can be more based on personal preference. You don’t have to follow all of these tips to the letter to get a good score, I’m just sharing what worked for me. Ultimately, you should make all your decisions with your own personal weaknesses and strengths in mind. 

Do your readings and notes: This class covers thousands of years of history and your teacher can only cover so much in class. If you want to get a good score on the exam, you have to do your readings and notes in order to know a lot of what will be on the exam.

Pay attention to your teacher: Chances are your teacher has taught this course in the past and even if they haven’t they have been certified for this course and know more about it than you do. Often they’ll tell you when they think something is definitely going to be on the exam or if they think something is likely to be on the exam or not. Even if they, when they emphasize something or talk about it for a long time it is likely to be on the exam.

Ask a lot of questions: I know it’s a cliche, but there are no dumb questions and it’s better to be safe than sorry. Even if you’re just a little unsure about something, ask about it, whether you ask a friend or a teacher or another resource. You don’t want to get to exam and realize there’s something on there that you’re not sure of. 

Focus on concepts, not details: I find that this applies to most history classes. Learn concepts first and details later. During my quizzes and tests and the exam, I found that I could answer a lot of questions even if I didn’t know the details about what was being asked by finding the answer that best fit a concept or pattern or ruling out answers that contradicted a concept or pattern. You should learn details and examples, but learn them second and focus on understanding the concepts first.  

Keep all the materials you’re given: Your teacher hands out papers and packets for a reason. Keep them and review them along with your notes when you’re preparing for the exam. These papers can help you just as much, if not more, than a review book. 

Make your own flashcards: I recommend making your own flashcards as you go along or while going through a review course (see #8). You know your own strengths and weaknesses and by making your own flashcards, you can tailor them to include more of the information you know least. These are better than flashcards you can buy, in my experience. 

Learn how to write the SAQs and essays: Writing counts for more than half of your exam score. You cannot get a qualifying score if you do not do the writing sections well. Often the way you write your responses is just as, if not more, important then the content you include, especially for the DBQ. Learn the rubric, what you need to include, and the way to structure your response. Your essay one of four types: learn how to write all of them. You don’t want to get to the exam and find that the essay is one you don’t know how to write. 

Learn how to interpret primary documents: The exam is very stimulus-based now so most of your questions will be based on primary  documents. Learn how to be able to read them and understand them - not being able to interpret a document means you’ll probably get all the questions based on that document wrong.  

Pay attention to pictures: Like I said, the exam is very stimulus-based now. There will be at least a few question sets based on pictures and in all likelihood, at least one SAQ will be based on a picture. Learning how to analyze a picture can be the difference between getting a point and not getting a point. 

Start studying early and have a schedule: You have a lot of material to cover when reviewing for the exam so going over everything in one night won’t cut it. I would recommend starting at least one month in advance of the exam. Sitting down before you start studying and setting a schedule is also very helpful. It can be stressful to sift through all the material and try to figure out if you already studied something or not. Setting a schedule greatly reduces this stress and helps you focus on the material. 

Don’t ignore certain periods: Even though there won’t be as much material on periods 1,2, and 6 doesn’t mean you can ignore them. You don’t have to go crazy, but there will still be questions on them and so you have to know about them. In addition, there could be more questions about a period than you anticipate so be prepared. In my opinion, there were a lot more questions about period 6 (including an essay) than I was expecting on my exam, so if I hadn’t studied that period there’s a good chance I would have gotten a lower score.

I think this really needs to be said to all the high schoolers freaking out about AP exams, SAT scores, and ACT scores. Hell, even to those who are applying/applied to colleges or other things. 

The number that you end up reading off the collegeboard site does not determine your worth. 

The number that you end up reading off the collegeboard site does not determine how smart you are. 

The number that you end up reading off the collegeboard site does not determine your future. 

Only you, as a person, can determine that. I know it’s hard, I’m still in high school too. But I think you guys need to, have to, know that even if you get all A’s and a 1450+ (or 2200+) on the SAT that it doesn’t automatically guarantee you a job. You could end up going to Stanford, MIT, or Harvard but end up in a bad place. The school you end up going to doesn’t necessarily grant you a job either. Okay, yes, it makes it a little bit easier but either way, you’re going to have to work hard for everything to get where you want. 

All of you are so much more important than some score or letter grade. Y’all are gonna do great, as long as you have the passion and drive to work for it. Having straight A’s and perfect scores does not mean you will survive in the real world. Now, this isn’t a way to make you feel better or myself (since I’m not a straight A student either) about all of this because honestly it’s all so true.

so the ap euro exam is in less than a week, right? i don’t know about all of you, but i find the multiple choice one of the hardest sections on the test. i’ve gathered a bunch of tips on how to tackle those mcqs here, which i’ll do in a step-by-step list. hope it helps some of you out there. let’s go euro!

first of all, take a few deep breaths and make sure your mind’s in the right space to answer the questions. just taking a few seconds to calm yourself down won’t impact your time that much, and it will help you be super focused and ready.

read the source of the stimulus and note down anything that comes to mind. for example, if the source is otto von bismarck, you might write “german unification”, or if the source date is 1789, you might write “french revolution”. don’t worry if you don’t recognise the source, but if you can get yourself thinking about the right period of history, it will help focus your reading.

read the whole stimulus, underlining important words or phrases as you go along. if it’s a cartoon or artwork, label people / events you recognise.

when you’re finished reading, summarise the document or illustration in three to five words. this will help you focus on the important message of the document and act as a quick reminder if you go back and check your work. when answering the questions, refer to these words rather than the stimulus itself. the questions won’t ask about specific details in the stimulus, they’ll ask about the main ideas, which you will have identified by summarising the stimulus.

move on to the questions. make sure you read the whole question and the whole of each option. you don’t want to miss any important details!

start eliminating the options you know for sure are wrong. most of the time there’s one option that’s out of the date range for the document, so you can eliminate that one. for example, if the treaty of westphalia is a stimulus but one of the multiple choice options talks about nationalism, you can easily cross it out.

follow your gut when answering, and don’t change your answers unless you didn’t read the question properly. remember all those times you got the right answer but changed it at the last minute and you ended up kicking yourself? yeah. stick with your first choice.

move through the questions at your own pace. don’t try to rush or stick to some sort of time schedule. even if you can’t get to every question, it’s much better to answer some questions right than lots of questions wrong because you were rushing.

if you don’t get to all the questions, bubble in random answers. wrong answers don’t count against your grade and you have a one in four chance of getting it right!

just breathe. you got this!