<p>I'm looking to self study a couple APs this coming school year but I'm wondering what materials I should use to study for the AP Psychology exam. After some research, I noticed that the two most recommended AP Psychology books are Barron's and the Princeton Review. Based on your personal experience, which do you think is better? Please note that I am not looking to cram for the exam. I'm going to study for at least a month before the testing date and please don't try to convince me otherwise. Once I set my mind on doing something, it gets done. Also, would you recommend Barron's AP Psychology flash cards or is that overkill?</p>
<p>I am currently self study AP Psychology with the Barron’s book and have to say that I think it is very good. I only looked through Princeton Review and don#t know how similar it is to the Barron’s because I bought the Barron’s since I had that book for Art History and that worked perfectly and just really liked the way Barron’s books are made up, so not sure how the Princeton Review compares with barron’s in terms of the topics they cover.
But I am really happy with the Barron’s. I find that they explain everything very well and that the way the book is made up works very well for me.
At the beginning of each chapter they have the key terms and key People that they will cover in the chapter that you are about to start, so I will always look up those before starting on the chapter itself so that i have a starting knowledge of what the chapter is about to cover, but you can read the chapter first and learn the in depth key terms later on without problems as well. But I really like that the Key Terms and People are listed separated on the first page on each chapter, so that you have everything that goes together put together without having to search for it yourself. Which I found is very helpful, since you can always test yourself when you go over the chapter again before you even start if you know the terms and people before even starting. </p>
<p>I also find that the Practice Questions are very good. I like that after each chapter there is a good amount of questions that you can test your knowledge on (overall i would say something between 12-20 questions per chapter) and the answers are very easy to understand and make it easy to see what you did wrong or if you put everything important in your answer. </p>
<p>What I do have to say is that you really can not cram this book in a short amount of time, but if you give yourself at least the month that you say and take the time to write the terms yourself (which i found helpful since I know better how to write especially peoples names right when I have written them at least ones before) then you really don’t need anything other then the book - no need for the Barron’s flash cards at least in my eyes. </p>
<p>if you are not someone that wants to take the time and write the terms out of the book -not that you have to the book lists the words so you can learn them from that if you prefer- then you can buy them I don’t think it is needed with the book. </p>
<p>In short since this is a really long replay (sorry) I find the Barron’s book really worth it and it is all I think I will need to get a good grade on the AP exam. BUT it is really a book -at least in my eyes- that you can not cram in so it is a very good book if you don’t want to do that. </p>
<p>I hope this helps and sorry again for the length. Never been very good in cutting myself short. :)</p>
<p>Dawnie: Thank you for that fabulous response! I’m looking to take the time and actually read the whole prep book thoroughly so I will start around November 2013 - January 2014. This will be my first ever AP exam so I’m looking to be as prepared as possible. Thanks again for your input.</p>
<p>Barron’s ap psych and I got a five though I barely used the book at all. I got a intro to psych review sheet and studied that a few days leading up to the exam and that carried me through it.</p>
<p>I have both, but I’m using exclusively Barrons</p>
<p>I want to take it as a sophomore but the teacher says every sophomore has struggled but I heard its so easy. Should I still take it?</p>
<p>princeton review (short): if you want to cram a week before the test</p>
<p>barrons (lengthy & in depth): if you want to actually know the material</p>
<p>@WashHope , i am currently taking it and its realllly easy. I would take it if i was you, but take the class semi serious (as in read the information) and thats literally all you have to do to get an A. At least from my experience.</p>
<p>Its common on CC to call this AP exam a joke and to recommend Barrons exclusively</p>
<p>i am using PR, and so far it’s pretty good for a good cram (i have started anyway haha)</p>
<p>Bump :3 I wanted to know the same thing, like if just using Barron’s would be good enough to get a 5, instead of an actual textbook.</p>