<p>Starting Monday, I'm going to begin reviewing for my first AP exams ever and I'm really nervous. My plan so far is for AP Euro to start by rereading a chapter ever 1-2 nights until I complete the book. Then take a practice exam and see the areas I need to work on and then study those areas intensely for a week. Take another practice exam and do the same thing for a week. Then take another prep test and for review what I missed for a few days. Then I'll work through a prep book for my remaining week. </p>
<p>For AP Art History, I'm really in the dark about how to study. I suppose I should begin by reviewing the book buts its 1200 pages which is really tough. I guess I'll try to do the same as I'm doing for Euro but on more of a skim type basis. </p>
<p>Please, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do so any help is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Don't burn yourself out lest you come to a point where you stop retaining what you've studied.</p>
<p>Also take comfort in the fact that you (should) have studied copiously for these tests over the past school year. A comprehensive review to jolt your memory will suffice.</p>
<p>Practice tests are the best way to gauge your readiness. Focus on the things you don't fully understand; use your time intelligently.</p>
<p>Don't reread your textbook. In fact, that's the last thing you should do. It contains way too much irrelevant information and not enough relevant information (which is what's on the test, of course). It is also basically impossible to read the entire thing through in a week or two.</p>
<p>What you do -- tried and true, to great effect -- is stock up on review</a> books *made for the tests<a href="check%20the%20reviews%20to%20be%20sure%20they're%20good%20--%20I%20recommend%20Princeton">/i</a>. At the beginning of the year, buy one for every exam you're taking for which they are available. Throughout the courses, read the books -- use them to study for in-class exams. A couple of weeks before your AP exams, fully reread the review books. Do some of the questions if you have time, but I've found that the questions are not usually as spot-on as the content, which is typically pretty fantastic.</p>
<p>Obviously you're not in this position. I'd advise you to pick up the review books and read as much of them as you can. These books sell so well for a reason: the people who write them have extensive experience with the test and know exactly what's on it. Of the 12 APs I have taken, I cannot recall a single one whose content was more than slightly different from that of the review book I used to study for it. Trust me; they're worth the investment.</p>
<p>One other benefit the review books have is that they give you confidence. If you feel like you know what's on the test and you know what you need to do to get a 5, you'll do a lot better. If you know that the 5 is pretty safe it will definitely help you relax and just do your best. Taking a practice test also helps you know how much you need to study. If you get 140/180 in APUSH (~115 is needed for a 5), you really shouldn't waste your time and energy studying.</p>
<p>People study for AP exams? I wouldn't know, having only taken the AP Lang/Comp test, which really didn't require much prep work (maybe a few practice multiple choice exams). </p>
<p>I may glance over some material this year for my AP's, but as a senior it's hard to care all that much lol. I plan on re-taking the classes anyway in college...bring that gpa up :). </p>
<p>I'm mainly only planning to study for my Calculus BC test. The rest of them I could probably get 5s on without trying much. I've never been one to study for exams and I don't usually study much for tests, but I still usually get the highest grades in my other 3 APs (as opposed to Calc, where I consistently get the lowest grade in my class).
For Art History, the main thing I'd do is pull out my book and just flip through and say info about each image. Like title, artist, culture (might be sort of obvious if your flipping through in order), period, etc, because usually, if I know that, I know pretty much everything.
I'm really not planning to do anything in Human Geography. Maybe I'll reread my vocab, but even that's unlikely. I'll probably end up getting on the phone with my friend or meeting up that Friday morning, since we get the half day before APs off, and we'll read through our notes. I mean, come on, it's human geography.
How would I even study for English Lang? You just have to know that stuff.</p>
<p>Really, if you have to intensively study for an exam, AP or not, you either didn't learn the material in the first place and it's your fault if you do badly or you're just one of those people who unfortunately can't retain much information. In Calculus, unfortunately, I'm both. I'm hoping for a 3. I was sort of both in APUSH but I think that was mostly because I hated and didn't care in the least about the class. I read AMSCO like crazy and got a 4. My sister (ugh) broke the curve on every test in the class, didn't study a lick and got a 5.</p>
<p>History is my major weakness in life because the way I remember things is to follow the logic behind it (eg math and science), but frequently history follows no logical path. I've gotten B's all through AP Euro and Art History and for Art History I feel like I've retained most of the information but for AP Euro I swear it's like I haven't even been in class all year because I know so little. I'll be lucky to get a 3.</p>
<p>You don't want to reread your textbook. That's essentially cramming a bunch of information that you don't need.</p>
<p>You want to review your material and actually learn it. If it sticks in your head in the long run then you won't have to go back and study as much later. Just do well in class, and then review your notes from the year a week or so before.</p>
<p>French Language: Look over Barron's about 10 min/night for the week before in hopes of picking up new vocabulary (my grammar is fairly solid), then for an hour or two the night before.</p>
<p>Calculus BC: No prep; teacher is excellent.</p>
<p>English Literature: No prep; I know how to read.</p>
<p>Biology: Look over Barron's in the week or two before. Highlight important words; hope that they stick in my head. Review important fairly general concepts that may have escaped me. </p>
<p>Chemistry: Look over Barron's in the week or two before. Pray. If intimidated by the test, will not attempt it; will draw pictures with my scantron bubbles and in the space they give me for writing reactions, free responses, etc. </p>
<p>Psychology: Look over Barron's in the week or two before.</p>
<p>...uggghhhh it's practically the week or two before! :( Not excited.</p>
<p>Barrons and REA test prep books have been a godsend the last few years studying for AP tests. I've had fairly poor teachers in terms of how well they prepare us for AP tests, so I effectively self-studied for every AP History and Government test, and I got 5s on all of them except for a 4 on AP Euro.</p>
<p>I'm literally self-studying (didn't take the course at all) for AP Psych this year, anyone have any tips other than reading standard prep books? (i.e. good websites you've found, outlines, etc?)</p>
<p>I plan on reading over my notes and prep books starting next week..</p>
<p>A subject or two a day, depending on how much time I have. I'm gonna reserve an hour each day for AP prep review. It's not too much time but enough to review a bit. And I can afford to lose an hour each day..</p>
<p>I really want to do well on my AP tests this year..so I'm definitely gonna put more effort into it and start reviewing early. Especially for Chem and Euro History and Econ.
Human Geo..I just need to review terms and for Calc I probably just need to look over a couple of concepts and rules. </p>
<p>I took my first AP exam last year and I didn't really take it very seriously (I thought it was going to be like a final! haha) so I didn't really study until the week before. I could've done much better</p>
<p>I plan to eat and sleep and workout to make sure my body is in the perfect condition like 2 days before the test. And do a 48 hour cram marathon and take the test the following 2 days (only 2 tests).</p>
<p>I like how our “early” studying is less than a month before the onslaught begins. I will never understand the people who can review ever since the beginning of the year and NOT cram. I’m beginning to think those people are mythical creatures invented by teachers and students to make us feel like slackers. lol.</p>
<p>Right, and for the original poster, nervous energy can be good. Just don’t let it kill you. My first round of AP testing, I had 4 tests, freaked out, almost dropped on the DAY before, and ended up getting all 5’s. Seriously, AP’s are 1/3 effort, 1/3 natural intelligence (which I’m sure you’re fine in), and 1/3 sheer dumb luck (possibly even more). </p>
<p>AP’s are not the end of the world. Your study plan sounds good. But I agree, textbook is way too much this late. I’m a princeton review junkie, so I recommend that. Note that princeton won’t over-prepare you like Barron’s and Cliff’s will. Rather, it gives you just enough for a five but the secure 5 is all on you doing practice an making sure you can do the analysis (and not cheating on the end of chapter q’s! I had that problem). </p>
<p>Kudos to you for laying out a study plan though. You’ll be fine and good luck!</p>
<p>^ I love princeton review as well. Barrons is good for some things–Math, Chem. But you can’t really go wrong with PR.
I love how they tell you just what you need to know, no extra junk. It’s concise and really easy to understand and I like how everything is organized.</p>