<p>I've heard a lot of conflicting thoughts on the class on whether it was a lot of work, the exam was tough/easy, and whether one needed to take the class or could possibly self study and still do well. Could those who have taken the AP Chem exam respond on what their class/self studying was like (strenuous, couple hrs of hw every night, not as bad as some say). Also, is Princeton Review the best review book for this course or is there any other book that could complement? Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>I would never self study for an AP. Two of my friends self studied chem and got a 4 and 5. However, they are incredibly bright and I doubt you can duplicate their results (I mean the exam in 2006 was really easy). </p>
<p>The amount of work the course is depends on the teacher, how he grades homework, and how much time/effort you want to put in the course (and how badly you want an A). Me? I slept every day in class and copied the answers to the homework out of the answer book. I got solid As in the class and a 5 on the exam.</p>
<p>i had a solid background from honors chem in my 10th grade year. so i didnt do much when i took ap chem this year. i paid attention in class and finished my homework the next day during lunch. our teacher decided to abandon us and become a dean of student at the beginning of second semester. we were 3 chapters from done then and still were at the end of the year. :(
in the last two weeks before the exam, i started reading princeton review's ap chem book and i think it helped me a lot. on average, i studied for 3 hours a night for 5 days straight. im sure i got at least a 4. now just waiting on july 1 to get my score.
so i think if you have a solid background from honors chem and are willing to work your butt off cramming, ap chem shouldnt be hard to self study for.</p>
<p>I plan to take the class, but if people are capable of self studying for this course then it shouldnt be impossible to manage a good score with hard work...also, based on experience or what you've heard- can you guys compare the level of difficulty of this exam to some of the other major ones (physics B/C , Calc ab/bc, bio, etc.)</p>
<p>I took AP Chem this year and A LOT of it depends on your previous chemistry teacher. I was blessed and was assigned to a teacher who knew her stuff concrete. This year in AP Chem has been a breeze. A all 4 quarter's then I get the little ole' .5 boost. Not sure how I did on the exam but I expect a 4 or a 5 ( I took last years as a practice and got a 5). AP Chem is a lot of work, but it's not dreadful, boring reading. The typical work is prepping a lab and/or worksheets and answering book problems. The issue that most people have is keeping up with the pace of the class. There is A LOAD of material to get through in such a short period of time. Here in VA, AP Chem is a 2 block class which means you have it every day for an hour and a half. We did 2-3 labs per week and the other two days were either notes and/or group work. I've got friends in AP Bio that extrememly regret taking that class. Can't really go wrong with AP chem as long as you get the basics.</p>
<p>I self studied AP Chem when I was in 12th grade, and the only prior chem experience I'd had was honors chem two years prior. I got a 5, so it's definitely possible. However, it really depends on your ability. Take a look at some past AP questions, or FRQs, and if it seems manageable, then go for it. You know your ability best, so whether self studying it is possible or not is mostly at your discretion.</p>
<p>It's not too bad. I copied the notes, but rarely reviewed them, and did my homework during lunch. I got the highest grades in the class and the only 5 on the exam. BUT, I did go buy Barron's AP Chemistry (I think that brought me from high 4/ low (or lucky) 5 to a high 5 (as in, guaranteed every time).</p>