A Years Worth of Material

The month of May is finally upon us and for all hardworking AP students; it’s the finish line they’ve prepared themselves the whole year for.

AP exams are the hardest it’ll get in high school since it’s a college level exam with a year’s worth of material. Having to take three AP exams last year I’ve learned some simple tips to ensure one will mentally and physically be at their 100% before they take the exam.

First of all, to have a “test ready” mental state, one shouldn’t be cramming information at the last minute. By the week before the exam, you should’ve already have most of the material down, so it’s just “either you know it or you don’t.” The last week should just be refreshing every key material and not learning concepts from scratch and trying to memorize everything overnight.

Also, our brain will need the best rest it can get since the test is also a battle against time so you won’t have all the time in the world to “dilly dally” on your answers. Especially since most tests, like English Language or Literature, will require writing multiple essays for a very limited amount of time.

In addition, if you’re an overachiever and are aiming for a four or a five in the exam then some tips you should consider is watching videos/ podcasts on topics that you struggle with. Make yourself a study guide of key concepts or terms you might forget.

For those taking AP exams for the first time, whether you’re a freshman or a senior, It’s important to not be nervous. A useful trick for the multiple choice is that one should never second guess themselves. It’s been proven many times that our first guess has the highest chance of being correct compared to second, third or fourth guesses.

Another useful tool is to set a timer for yourself. Divide your time wisely and don’t spend too long on a question. It’s much better to take a wild guess than leaving a blank since you don’t get penalized for wrong answers.

Overall, AP testing can become really stressful, it’s best to not overexert yourself beforehand and better to just relax and have light studying every- day.