<p>I took AP Chem this past year as a junior and honestly did not struggle with it barely at all, granted I also had a fantastic teacher. As to which review book is better, I’m not sure one is going to be significant better than another, but we used PR. Also the math is basically limited to logarithms and solving equations which I’m pretty sure any Algrebra II student at the least and above can easily do. As for the revision of the test my teacher said they’re taking out organic (not 100% sure) but if so then you should thank CB personally. Someone mentioned they were removing hybridization and VESPR theory which isn’t true, only that hybridization to the d-sublevel is removed since it actually doesn’t happen. The only really challenging topics to me and most people in my class were equilibrium and acids and bases, particularly buffers, but still doable. Don’t stress too much, if you enjoy science and are willing to put in the effort you’ll be fine!</p>
<p>I’ll warn you about the Baron’s book ~ They practice tests will have a lot of strange questions that would never appear on the test. Usually these are worded strangely, and very difficult.</p>
<p>wooot got a 5 on the exam. If you guys find any practice tests, post em on here, I wanna see how much easier/harder the new curriculum is.</p>
<p>Summer homework and quiz on the first day of school, AP Chem is just awesome. Just can’t wait to solve all those molarity, acid-base problems… #pumped (sarcasm)…</p>
<p>You’re going to self study?
Wow good luck</p>
<p>Im using EBBING/GAMMON 9th Edition. Anyone else using this? My Summer homework is the first four chapters of the book :/</p>
<p>Im just worried about the new exam format. I took Bio this year and I liked it, I thought it was easy and whizzed through the FRQs, but I ended up with a 4.
Turns out that only 5% of the people who took it got a 5, because with the new ‘standards,’ as this is a college 1st semester class, they graded it based on who was actually ‘exceptional’ and of course, with the NEW format, I guess many people did not meet the new ‘exceptional’ standard ( for comparison, about 23% of people got 5s on the Bio 2012 exam). </p>
<p>So I’m just worried that these ‘new’ standards are going to have SUPER low percentages of 5s EVEN if the test is easier because with new standards, comes uncertainty on WHAT you truly need to know.</p>
<p>Does the new test format have a higher standard? I heard very few got 5s because the concepts tested are different and many aren’t used to it, not because the CollegeBoard raised the standard.</p>
<p>Just got my schedule and I made it in, what book are we using this year?</p>
<p>Using Zumdahl textbook</p>
<p>Using Zumdahl as well</p>
<p>My class is using Silberberg, but I borrowed the Zumdahl textbook from my teacherrr</p>
<p>first test on tuesday (OH BOY)</p>
<p>We’re using Chang. Our class hasn’t learned anything new yet. Have any of your classes been reviewing before going into new content?</p>
<p>Yes, ch.2 ends with naming/writing compounds. then stoich in ch.3</p>
<p>We completed problems for Chapter 1 and 2, which were about measurements and properties of matter/atomic theory and we are taking a test on both chapters on Monday.</p>
<p>I’m super worried. I’m a senior, new to my school, and this was the only AP science class I could register for (the rest were full). I think students were supposed to do summer homework, but no one told me about it… if we have a quiz on the first day I am going to be so screwed.<br>
I really enjoyed/excelled in Chemistry the first time around, so I’m hoping that this class doesn’t ruin it for me…</p>
<p>The class itself isn’t too terribly difficult so far, but it’s only been a week. It’s basically a continuation of Honors Chem, with the same teacher and all. I wouldn’t say I excel in chemistry like I do in math, but I really do enjoy chem. I’m just worried that my teacher won’t be able to finish teaching the material before the AP test (this happened last year, and people had to self-study the last 4 chapters; the previous year, there wasn’t a single person who got a 5). Our class is using Chemistry: The Central Science by Brown, Lemay, et al… Is Zumdahl really that much better?</p>
<p>^Nope! I heard they are equivalents :)</p>
<p>@Master Yi-
We are using Ebbing and Gammon as well. I have no idea if it’s good or not, though.</p>