Hi! Can anyone offer advice on how to study for AP Chemistry & AP Calc BC? I am aiming for a 5. Plan to study my textbook but would love advice about what prep books are good and if there are other resources. Is Khan Academy good? Tips on how to study would be very welcome. Just to clarify, I am not self studying these courses.
Take the AP calculus BC and AP chemistry courses at your school?
OP stated that they are not self studying
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Unless your AP courses / teachers have a marginal to poor track record (e.g. A students in those courses generally getting 3 or lower on the AP tests), is there any reason you believe that you need to study more than what is needed to do well in the course?
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My D did not do any studying outside of what was required/recommended by her AP teachers. At her school, the teachers typically cover all material by mid April and then spend the next 2-3 weeks doing review and practice for the AP exam in May.
I’ve heard of schools on a different schedule where it is possible to complete an AP course mid year. Those people express concerns about retention and preparing for the exam when the material was completed a few months before that.
Have you considered talking to your teacher or counselor to better understand your school’s track record with these AP courses and how they prepare students for the exam? That may be the best next step.
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My D also did nothing other than learn in class, including the practice tests/sample questions her teachers provided through the year, including your two subjects. The test is based on the approved course content that a teacher teaches.
Is there a reason you think your textbook and teacher will not prepare you?
I believe College Board provides material through the year, online, though my D hasn’t used it.
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I self studied for Calc BC and scored a 5. I think the biggest thing is to just keep doing practice papers until your familiar with all the question types and the broad ways to approach them. I took every test from 1999 to 2020 while preparing for my test and redid a few of them as well!
Apart from this, youtube has a number of good videos to brush up on particular concepts that you are not familiar with.
Good luck!
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Thank you all for your replies! I think the AP teachers in my school are pretty decent. Most of the time they complete the course on time. I just hear about a lot of people using outside resources and prep books. But, it’s good to know that the practice tests and sample questions provided in class should be enough!
Yes, I am taking them at school 