<p>Okay so I'm about to take my first AP tests (US History and Chem) next month. My brother took ~10 or so AP tests in high school, got 5's on all of them, without any studying or prep books. I guess this is why my mom thinks I don't need them, so I haven't gotten much study material at all. But do I really need as much practice as CC and my friends make it seem?</p>
<p>Have you taken any practice AP Tests for Chem and US History before?</p>
<p>Yes, I have the 5 steps to a 5 chem and AMSCO books on pdf. I’m only worried for the DBQ/FRQ’s for apush; I plan to review the fuzzier chapters in AMSCO before the exam day though, so I might be alright (hope)</p>
<p>Honestly, it depends. I am completely dependent on study guides, and would score 1 on every exam I took if I didn’t have them because without my prep books, I would have no way of efficiently learning the material. I fall asleep when I read textbooks, and my school offers barely any APs, so I would be direly unprepared if I didn’t have at least two study guides for every AP I took (with the exception of psych haha).</p>
<p>On the other hand, I have two friends who are very well read. They read government textbooks as leisure, read newspapers every single day, and own libraries of books that they read whenever they are bored and so even without a prep book, they’d be able to score 5’s. </p>
<p>I’d still get at least one good prep book for each exam you are taking though, just to review the information and make sure you have covered everything before the actual exam. if you don’t want to buy one, the public library should have plenty up for grabs.</p>
<p>Hmm… I think it depends on a lot of things.</p>
<p>First, the subject. AP World? Yes. I used the Princeton Review throughout the year as a supplement to my course’s text, and it clarified everything for me. It was like my Bible. </p>
<p>AP Calc? Eh. I used it about a month and a half before the test, but it was too late. It was a good book, and the practice problems were great, but I needed constant exposure. </p>
<p>AP Lit: Nada zilch. Nothing could have prepped me for that test. It’s either you know it or you don’t; it’s either you live it and feel it or just can’t get it. Didn’t even bother with a book and it was worth it for me. But that also depends on your strengths.</p>
<p>Next, it depends on you. Are you an auditory learner? Visual? Other? If you do well by reading books, then yes, I think it’ll help you. It’ll add that visual element to your memory bank. But if you can’t really focus and you prefer to think through and apply things, I think it could go either way. The Princeton Review was very thought-provoking at times, but other times it was dull. </p>
<p>Overall, I’d say that if you haven’t used study guides yet, don’t start now. It’ll put too much stress on you at this point. Just listen to what your teacher suggests and try to do your best. </p>
<p>You’ll do great! Just relax. That’s all you have to do. It’s just another test.</p>
<p>Crash Course + released exams are the best study tool ever. I found them extremely useful when cramming for 10 AP exams last year.</p>
<p>Read Crash Course, take an exam, see which topics you got wrong/had issues with, read a more in-depth prep book, rinse and repeat.</p>
<p>I’d say start ASAP (you can buy Crash Course on Google Play so don’t need to head to the bookstore or wait for Amazon). Don’t bother with flashcards, they’re not worth the effort.</p>
<p>See the advice I posted here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/15857916-post12.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/15857916-post12.html</a></p>
<p>Like others mentioned before, it really depends on how you study. I’m looking over PR prep books on Calculus AB, Physics C: Mechanics, and U.S. History right now.</p>