<p>Congrats to all you 5's out there!!! WELL DONE! :-)</p>
<p>I'm bummed out about my scores on AP Stat and APWH this year; I got a 3 on both. </p>
<p>I guess I have a problem with studying for exams b/c I got straight A's all year. I really need to fix this b/c I'm taking 4 AP classes next yr( junior yr) and I really want all 5's. Any study tips? </p>
<p>BTW...
I'm taking AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP Lang, and APUSH</p>
<p>I have taken AP bio and APUSH, I am taking AP cal bc next year, but I have not taken AP lang. If you have also taken Cal AB then BC will be a BREEZE! If not, you’ll probably still do pretty well, I’ve heard it isn’t so bad:) AP bio was sooo easy this past year for me, BUT, they are changing up the class a ton for next year!! So I have no idea how it will be for you. Now with APUSH, it is a pretty easy class and a pretty easy AP exam, of all the AP’s I have taken, APUSH was definitely my favorite (and easiest!). Make sure you study along the way, so that you don’t have to cram the few weeks before the exam. Also, get some prep books to help with studying. And, take lots of practice exams for all AP tests!</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>Okay, I’ve taken all of them: AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP Lang, and APUSH
along with a plethora of other ones.</p>
<p>AP Calc: as long as you have a good teacher, you should be fine. Work on more conceptual development than straight memorization, the AP test doesn’t test you as much on whether you memorized how to plug and chug, more whether or not you actually understand the material at a deeper level</p>
<p>AP Biology: the curriculum has changed, but I’m not sure how much. Just make sure you know your stuff and pay attention to the main biology “themes” because FRQ’s love the themes (change and continuity, cells as building blocks, etc).</p>
<p>AP Language: you’ll be fine, I promise. Just make sure you know your literary terms and how to read. Also, refine your BSing abilities for the essays</p>
<p>APUSH: If you’re a history person, you’ll be fine, if you’re like me, you better study. Just make sure you read your book and understand everything. I can’t give much information on history tests, I just make a billion flashcards and hope and pray for a good score.</p>
<p>Otherwise, if you have any other questions feel free to ask me or check out my site. I have info on all of the 18 tests I took last year. All but APUSH is included. </p>
<p>Good luck to you! I’m sure you will do amazing!</p>
<p>Does anyone have any tips for self-studying AP chem?
I’m buying PR, and I don’t think that will be enough. I know people often say that you should buy textbooks to supplement study guides when self-studying but… I dunno.</p>
<p>For AP bio and APWH, I was told that it would be good to have a textbook and several study guides, but I ended up wasting my time and got 5’s on both without caring to read the textbook, or some of the study guides thoroughly. I know that (subjectively) chem is thought of as one of the hardest AP exams, so I’m not sure if its the same as bio and wh. Should I get a textbook (can’t afford to buy my own. Someone recommended Zumdahl but it’s too expensive. I’m just borrowing a community college textbook from a friend) as well?</p>
<p>Also, should I watch MIT’s and Stanford’s online chemistry lectures as well as khanacademy as I read through PR to guarantee myself a 5?</p>
<p>To Gomdorri:
The textbook is a good way to learn something if you have lots of time to burn or want a deeper understanding of a topic beyond the AP exam. You can (usually, Calculus and APUSH are exceptions) get by on the AP from a review book, but if you seriously want a strong intellectual background in a subject, buy a textbook.</p>
<p>Also, you can get older editions of Zumdahl from used bookstores online or Amazon. Because it is intro-level chemistry, I’m sure it changes very little from year to year. In a brief google search, I was able to find Zumdahl texts available at prices ranging from $1-$3 (with free shipping). I also recommend Chemistry: The Central Science. We used that textbook in my AP class, and 75% of us got 4s and 5s.</p>
<p>To JJRONALDINHO:
I would focus on the writing component most because Trevor Packer of College Board said that’s where sophomores struggled on the World History exam.
The importance of the free-response section on any AP exam is often underestimated. Unfortunately, the free response for APUSH is far more difficult than that for World History because the APUSH essay rubric is very nebulous. </p>
<p>World History grading standards are very specific and “skill-oriented.” Not so with APUSH; according to my teacher, who grades exams and claims to have a 90%+ accuracy rate at the Grading. She claims that you will be docked severely if your essay strays from the time period as well as for some other features which are more subjective (word choice, even). </p>
<p>As far as calculus and bio, you need to learn the material as you go along and retain it because cramming is really not a viable option if you want to get a solid 5. You might be able to squeak out a 5 by cramming (and you’d never know because of the brevity of the Score Report), but I’m sure you’ve taken tests which you felt vastly unprepared for and still done well. The same principle applies to AP exams, and if you are considering going to graduate or professional school (particularly medical school), you really need to be sure that you know the material because these schools often require that you supplement AP credits with higher-level coursework.</p>