If you are taking this class next year still, good luck, but remember that most of the people who post here are top students (as you probably are). If you are not one of these top students, please reconsider not taking this class before you are locked in for sure. I am a student of average intelligence and above average work ethic, and this class wrecked me. Consider who you are before you decide who to listen to.
However, if you are a top student, you will probably end up enjoying this class! Please have fun with this class if you can!
This thread is designated for the 2016 AP Chemistry exam at the end of the 2015-2016 year. Starting early never hurts!
Anyone have advice for a sophomore(or junior, or senior, or freshman) taking AP Chem from past course/exam experiences? Any recommended extracurricular materials that would be useful for this next year? I am striving for a 5 on this exam.
Your input is greatly appreciated!
I’m taking AP Chem this year too! I’m a rising junior and from what I’ve heard my teacher is super hard with work! The Barron’s book is probably the best it’s what I use for my other APs with good results (in terms of scores)
(I’ve already taken AP Chemistry but oh well)
To be honest, while studying for the AP Chemistry test, I did not use any preparatory books to study. I simply did problems from the AP test from last year (which is posted on the CollegeBoard’s website) and read through what I didn’t know or was pretty weak at before the test came along. I didn’t see the need for a book due to the fact that as you go through the course, learning new material often leads to reviewing previous material as well. But if you are someone that would rather use a book to study, I would suggest Barron’s. Barron’s often has harder practice tests (I used Barron’s for the Chemistry Subject Test) and reviews what will certainly be on the test (maybe even more), so it really prepares you for the real thing.
Hope that helps, and good luck to all of you future AP Chemistry people!
Word of advice: Know your sheet (you’ll get it once you’re in the class) and READ, READ, READ! Please do not procrastinate like I did because that will just lead to stress and tears. 
i’m also taking ap chem as a senior next year !
i’d recommend the zumdahl textbook, and sciencegeek.net/APchemistry/index.shtml for study resources
i’m not familiar with the teacher who runs that site, but i’ve been using their summer packet and powerpoints to prepare for the course, and it’s pretty helpful so far.
from the truly deepest part of my heart: good luck
I will be taking AP Chemistry next year as well; my school uses the Brown/LeMay textbook. I hope to finish it over the summer and maybe become a USNCO finalist… But it probably won’t happen, since I’ve heard they use quotas by area (can anybody confirm this?) and my area has many, many high-achieving students.
I will be taking AP Chemistry as well! Everyone I mention it to tells me I’m committing GPA suicide and theres ~10 kids enrolled in the class… I’d like to get ahead over the summer so I think I’m gonna use Barron’s! (As eel as do the copious amount of summer homework we already have assigned for the class)
AP Chem on its own isn’t that bad at my school, but it’s GPA suicide with some of the other classes I’m taking: BC, AP Physics 1. I also have an extracurricular (colorguard) that is very time-consuming, so I’m kind of screwed.
Yay for AP chem!!! Haha same @topaz1116 I have dance practice like every night and I’m taking AP chem and BC together. Luckily my teacher let us keep our old chem textbooks over summer and gave us our new ones too!!!
I’m unfortunately stuck in AP Chem atm, Hopefully there is some Honors Chem spots available by monday otherwise I am not prepared for AP Chem.
Probably should have waited until AP Chem to take the SAT2 Chem…
Hey all! Going to be a senior entering AP Chem after a year off. Any suggestions on what book is best to buy when it comes to AP Chem? Looking forward to next year! Happy Summer Homework and studying!
Good luck everyone! Although I got a B both semesters in this class, it was definitely rewarding because it prepared me for the SAT Subject Test for Chemistry. It has definitely made me decide that i might pursue a career in chemistry as well! Feel free to ask me any questions about the class since I’ve already taken it c:
@Mochis1 Hi! Which prep books would you recommend buying ? Thank you 
hey guys! Which books do you recommend me to get to study for AP Chem Exams?
@Awang15 @Paulthekid99 I think prep books are way overrated, but Princeton review if you have to. Always. It’s what i used for AP Chem and chem subject test. But then again, my teacher was also really good, so these prep books were only a small supplement.
Hi guys! I just took AP Chem this past year as a junior, and I’d like to share a few insights.
- In my school, a year (technically a semester due to block schedule) of core chemistry or honors chemistry was required prior to the course. Granted, everyone who only had regular chem drop after the first of the three terms of the class, which brings me to my next insight...
- This class gets dropped...a lot. We initially had 25 students signed up for the course and by the end only had 11!!! Be sure to only take this class if you like chemistry/are good at it.
- I averaged 1 homework hour a week. Yes, a week. And no, I did not receive C's. Why? For some reason, I observed in my class that chem either really clicked or it really didn't. People either goofed off and got a's easily or put in the time and effort and had to plead for extra credit to move them up. It was definitely the oddest sight I've seen in my high school career.
4.Whatever book my teacher used for the redesigned exam was the absolute worst thing I’ve ever seen. Questions were non sensical and nothing like the actual exam. Yet, through content learned, I still felt very prepared for the test and expect to see either a 4 or 5 next week. Basically, learn the topics. Understand the topics. Know how substances behave. Rejoice.
Advice from someone who took AP Chem this year- DONT USE BARRONS. There were topics in Barron’s (organic?) that are not even in the curriculum for AP chem. It’s horribly long and focuses on everything that’s NOT on the new AP Chem test (i.e. math)
You can tell they just copied and pasted from the old AP chem book.
It’s definitely a don’t-read.
@Awang15: To be honest, I didn’t use any books in preparation for the AP test other than the textbook that we were using (Zumdahl’s 9th Edition). I instead used the CollegeBoard’s practice AP exams as well as actual exams from previous years to study. I heard that people who studied for this test used either Barron’s or a simple crash course book for reference.