<p>I'm excited for this class =] I've heard nothing but good things about it! </p>
<p>Discuss advice, prep books, opinions, how you plan on studying, etc.</p>
<p>I can’t believe how much easier this AP is compared to things like AP Physics C.</p>
<p>Princeton Review: good review. Read thoroughly, but ignore all the extraneous legislation that the book gives you. The practice tests are fairly representative of the real exam.
Crash Course: excellent focused review (My favorite part is the chapter where it tells you exactly what pieces of legislation you need to know and what each piece of legislation provides for. The book even tells you which pieces of legislation that you can know by their acronyms because they’re always referred to by their acronyms on the test :D!). </p>
<p>To get a 5, just read PR, CC, and do all of the FRQs - paying special attention to the more recent FRQs such as the 2011 and 2012 FRQs. I noticed that the more recent FRQs put emphasis on more obscure information such as sugarcane as an energy source.</p>
<p>For me, everything is going pretty well. I just have a hard time memorizing all the acts and policies. I’ll probably end up making some flash cards of some sort.</p>
<p>I have the Princeton Review Cracking APES exam (2012) and I’m studying it right now!
It doesn’t look too bad, I just wish there were more practice problems and tests.
I should definitely finish this summer.
I plan on reading this over and over and over until December. Then, I’m going to start review notes and stuff.</p>
<p>One thing I can’t memorize: The rock cycle. It makes me look stupid, cause I learned this is 6th and 7th grade… I know about sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic, but I have a hard time recalling every single process involved.</p>
<p>DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUMMER HW FOR THIS CLASS???
I have to read “Ishmael” and do a book collage on it, due at the start of school.</p>
<p>I’ll probably self-study it next year. Thinking of getting PR and CC, like @IceQube said. I’ve heard that it’s one of the easier APs, but since this will be my first year taking AP exams, I don’t want to blow it off and end up with a bad score. When is everyone going to start studying? :)</p>
<p>I’m planning on starting to study about a month before, is that enough or should I start earlier? I’m pretty nervous about self-studying this because it’ll be my first year taking AP’s too (I’m an incoming sophomore; freshman aren’t allowed to take any). I’m also taking AP Euro and self-studying AP Psych. </p>
<p>As a general consensus, how much time do you guys spend doing homework/studying a day?</p>
<p>I found this awesome AP website, not just for enviro sci, but physics Calc everything. Go to hippocampus.org</p>
<p>Sent from my Desire HD using CC</p>
<p>AP Environmental Science at my school is really difficult, it’s kind of scary.</p>
<p>I have Smartypants and PR. I’m self-studying, but I dunno when I should start studying.</p>
<p>I’m taking the AP chem exam as well, so I’ll be taking the APES makeup (not insane enough to try to undertake the AP chem exam makeup, which, I’ve heard, is made to be extremely challenging compared to the regular).</p>
<p>If I’m lazy, I might not study until May 20th but hopefully I won’t do that LOL.</p>
<p>Will PR and Smartypants suffice for a 5?</p>
<p>I also plan on self studying for this AP course. When do you guys think it would be good to start studying in order to get a 5? I don’t want to cram and I don’t want to start too early. An advice is appreciated.</p>
<p>Does anybody have a good cramsheet/other online resources they could share?</p>
<p>^
[Ways</a> to go APE](<a href=“http://www.cathylaw.com/APES/waystogoape.html]Ways”>http://www.cathylaw.com/APES/waystogoape.html)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.kwanga.net/apesnotes/The%20Many%20Ways%20To%20Go%20APES.pdf[/url]”>http://www.kwanga.net/apesnotes/The%20Many%20Ways%20To%20Go%20APES.pdf</a></p>
<p>I’m going to be taking AP Environmental for my upcoming Junior Year. I’ve heard stories of how some people just walk into the exam and they never studied and they manage to get a 4. Others have studied for only 4 hours total and they managed to get a 5. From what I’ve read from statistics, about 10% of the people who take the exam get a 5 and 30% get a 1. I’ve been using the Princeton Review book to self-prep for this exam during this summer vacation. It’s pretty helpful and I’d recommend it. I heard that the Barron’s review book has way too much information that’s not even on the AP Environmental exam.</p>
<p>^That’s because most people that take the exam don’t take it seriously</p>
<p>Unless you’re majoring in earth science, geology, etc., don’t take this useless exam. Save yourself 87 bucks. Research on credits needed for ur major</p>
<p>I am thinking about switching out of AP Physics for APES due to senioritis :D</p>
<p>Yup lol^, I’m just taking it for the easy A in the class. I won’t take the AP exam because its useless haha </p>
<p>Sent from my Desire HD using CC</p>
<p>APES veteran here. Scored a 5 on the exam last year.</p>
<p>I have a couple tips for the class:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Certainly invest in the PR book. Barron’s is pretty useless for this class and PR does a decent job of summarizing information that may be tough in the class.</p></li>
<li><p>Participate actively in the labs and Case Studies. Several questions on the exam involve the case studies and usually 1 FRQ requires you to design a controlled experiment, often based on labs you may or may not have done in class.</p></li>
<li><p>Know your basic calculations. There are only a few math-based questions on the exam, but one of them is an FRQ and it can be a doozie if you’re not good at math. No need for calculus here, just be able to do long division and know the rules of scientific notation.</p></li>
<li><p>Be up to date on current events. Few questions actually revolve around current events but they can help you relate to topics and understand concepts.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>It isn’t a difficult exam but it also has the lowest percentage of people who pass among all AP Exams. Don’t stress over it but don’t underestimate it, either.</p>
<p>May be a bit overkill, but I have done some research on how to definitely get a 5. I am self studying, and I will probably start around Christmas break. I will get Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet (highly recommended and very cheap <$15, can’t hurt), PR (seems to be best recommended prep book), 5 steps to a 5 500 MC questions (will really help on those MC questions, if you can get most of these then you’d be set), and SmartyPants (extremely good for Environmental Science). Hope this helped :)</p>