<p>How do you study for them?</p>
<p>I don't.
I know the important material already anyway (since I study hard during the semester), so come final time I get As and don't study :)
Plus at our school if you get As both quarters you only need a C on the semester exam to get an A for the semester, and I've only gotten one B on a final since 9th grade, so I don't stress over finals too much.</p>
<p>Now AP exams...that's a different story.</p>
<p>Um, in advance. I think people must think I'm borderline insane if I tell them everything I do...like, I always thought I "never really studied" but then I counted up all the hours I spent making review sheets, highlighting, index carding, 20 mins in homeroom, etc...even just for an art exam in middle school!</p>
<ol>
<li>get your teachers to tell you about the exam!! This is important, for example, one teacher told us the day before our final we had to learn all our states and capitals...great. If someone had asked for the outline, we would have known beforehand. </li>
<li>Know where test questions come from...Ie, are they from an online help site she suggested? textbook website? review book? etc, etc? AND STUDY THESE. </li>
<li>If you do not know what essays will be asked, think about what topics would be good and prepare an outline for each. </li>
<li>Go to all extra help sessions, etc for what you don't get.</li>
<li>Highlight review books.</li>
<li>Make index cards, prepare in multiples. For example, I'll prepare my vocabulary like this: 3 x through the whole deck, taking out ones I miss. Then I go through the small pile 3x, then the big pile 1x, alternating until I feel like I have a grasp. This may be excessive, but it's effective if you have no idea what you're doing/need motivation to get started/keep going.
Hope that helps</li>
</ol>
<p>Wow thanks. Do you ace everything? (I bet you do.) How far ahead do you guys study?</p>
<p>For the APs in social studies: buy a review book four weeks before the final and review every other day. By the time the final arrives I know everything, and when studying for the second semester AP review sessions (multiple AP practice tests all at once), it takes me one-fourth of the time. I end up not even reviewing for the actual AP exam, because I carry it over from the last-minute review sessions and the time I put in for first semester.
English: Read all the books during the year, but when finals come by get one of the Cliffs' Notes (if possible; otherwise follow the method in the last post). (That is why these books are made; for major, overview exams, one only needs the basic details, plot summary, and character lists/analyses, not specifics; yet most people don't use them the correct way.)
Math, Science: take down every problem discussed in class, and then make sheets of formulas/concepts from the book(s). When done over the course of the semester, you will be prepared.</p>
<p>I just study the night before... for like 5 hours. Yes!</p>