<p>Hello CC. Before I get into my question, I would like to note that I have certainly browsed the forums for similar questions with my time on this website. That being so, much of the advice that has been already shared has been taken into consideration and has helped me substantially throughout high-school so far.
I did pass my AP exams this year, but I know that I could have done better.. So, I'm wondering what exactly can help me pass an AP exam? Can those successful this year share studying plans? Also, I do have some testing anxiety which does always have an effect on my scores -- how can I calm my nerves when testing?
Thank you!</p>
<p>I make packets. Whenever I get to something I do not know too well I add it to my packet and run through it a couple of times. For FREs(euro, world, us, etc) I write as much as possible and talk about everything I know. Following the rubric completely is also very important. On FRQs(i.e psych etc) I cut to the chase and support my answer with sufficient evidence. I am usually nervous but if I feel prepared it passes after 5 minutes.</p>
<p>Write up a DAILY summary of all the facts/skills u went over in class. When aps come around its alot easier to compartmentalize and target problem areas</p>
<p>My big thing this year was making giant study guides starting maybe 3 weeks before the test. You could do this alone or with a friend–for example, my friend and I made a GIANT google doc for apush, divided up into all the sections to know, and just wrote. Sometimes, just the act of rewriting information helps you remember it. I think just talking through things helps, especially for the social science tests. For tests that are harder to do this for, like the English ones, I’d say your classwork is the best prep you can get. </p>
<p>I get the exact same way about testing anxiety. What’s worked for me is to physically set my pencil down, close my eyes, take a few breaths, and remind myself that freaking out isn’t going to help at all. This usually helps me calm down, and it takes less than a minute, so you’ll have plenty of time to spare. I hope this helped!</p>
<p>My big thing this year was making giant study guides starting maybe 3 weeks before the test. You could do this alone or with a friend–for example, my friend and I made a GIANT google doc for apush, divided up into all the sections to know, and just wrote. Sometimes, just the act of rewriting information helps you remember it. I think just talking through things helps, especially for the social science tests. For tests that are harder to do this for, like the English ones, I’d say your classwork is the best prep you can get. </p>
<p>I get the exact same way about testing anxiety. What’s worked for me is to physically set my pencil down, close my eyes, take a few breaths, and remind myself that freaking out isn’t going to help at all. This usually helps me calm down, and it takes less than a minute, so you’ll have plenty of time to spare. I hope this helped!</p>
<p>For dealing with testing anxiety. Check with your school’s counseling office. Your counseling office should have somebody, if not everybody, well versed in dealing with students with testing anxiety.</p>
<p>Cram the night before. Works for me…</p>
<p>The giant study guide thing that defygravity mentioned helped me. </p>
<p>I didn’t make one for AP Calculus, I found it online. I then printed it off, wrote in some of my own little tricks, highlighted the ones I needed to work on most, etc. For AP Psychology I used studyblue.com (quizlet would probably work as well) to make a GIANT deck of flashcards. It only took a couple hours because I searched the topics I needed and saved copies of already-made decks rather than making my own flashcards. There are plenty of options on that site that facilitate studying - you can study the least-studied cards, hardest cards first (based on your answer history to that card), and much more. </p>
<p>The giant study guides definitely help, but make sure you do it in plenty of time! If you have 1 or 2 exams, start no later than mid-april. 3-5 exams start by April 1st. 6+ exams start in early March. This helps with general recall of stuff you learned earlier in the year, it is NOT meant to help you <em>learn</em> topics so much as refresh your memory. I only reccommend this if you did well in the class from the get-go. I’d try other methods if you struggled and need to actually learn a lot of topics. </p>
<p>Also, make sure to get use from small chunks of time! It’s incredibly boring to cram for 5 hours the night before the test and the entire weekend before. It’s a lot easier and less miserable to study your flashcards the last five minutes of lunch after you finished eating, or while waiting in line at the store. Make use of this time, it adds up! It’s also a proven fact that spaced-out studying is more effective than cramming, so this method helps with that as well since you get at least a few minutes of practice everyday.</p>
<p>THE LAW OF AP STUDENTS
- CRAM the night before.
- Try to fail at least one exam so people don’t hate you for being a try-hard
- Don’t look like a try-hard.
- Take 10+ AP exams. By your 3/4th exam, you won’t have anxiety; you’ll just be tired. But…
- LIE to your friends about how many AP exams you took. Keep it around 0 or 1. (See Law #3)
- Be a COOL kid and check your AP scores a week after they’re posted so you don’t look like a desperate try-hard. (See Law #3)
- Never be seen with a review book. (See Law #3)
- Never talk about AP classes. (See Law #3)</p>
<p>@Jdroid LOL.
Forgot the most important rule: Self Study for all Tests, making your HS life easier :P</p>