<p>Thought I would create one. Post away :)</p>
<p>copied and pasted from another thread I answered:
I self-studied APES this year and got a 5. I depended entirely on Princeton Review. I really recommend PR as your top prep book for APES. Princeton Review is concise and has all the information you need to get a 5. I kind of procrastinated and started studying 2 weeks before the exam. For those two weeks I went through Princeton Review several times. Princeton Review is great for quick prep because it is so short but it has all the information you need to obtain a 5. After reading PR several times and taking their practice tests, like several days before actually AP test I just read through previous essay questions to get a feel of how the format was on the actual test. A good percentage of AP env. sci. is common sense so all in all not too bad. Many people may recommend Barron’s or 5 Steps but in my opinion I found those books too lengthy and tedious. Barron’s was like a text book and I found that to be very time consuming so I flipped through it and didn’t really study from it. Also I looked through the practice test in Barron’s and it was comparatively harder than actual test. I think PR is more accurate in practice tests. All in all I recommend PR, it is short, concise and has all the information to score a 5.</p>
<p>The test is 278 days away guys. Relax :).</p>
<p>i used pr to study and released test and i got a 5 
i would also suggest doing all the FRQs online as they help you get used to the format and help with the MC as well :D</p>
<p>I actually took the class last year, which doesn’t appear at all to be the norm for APES on CC, and I got a 4. In a class of 10, 40% of us got a 4 or higher. And the other 3 people who got a 4 or higher were actually legit good at science (not to mention interested as well). I, on the other hand, was like the rest of the class: mediocre at science. So how did I pull it off when most people in my class got 2’s and 3’s? Princeton Review. Taught me everything I needed to know, despite me cramming it all in in just 2 days time.</p>
<p>How about smartypants? I have the book, didn’t start studying yet.</p>
<p>I heard it’s really helpful in preparation</p>
<p>Yayya smartypants is good too… To supplement PR… PR+smartypants and ur good to go</p>
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<p>Scratch that. The test is only 217 days away now. Holy crap :mad:!</p>
<p>For anyone who is self studying, I got a five last year and my tip to all of you is to…</p>
<p>Buy the Barrons AP Enviro book and read it front to back. Even if you are even in a class, you should definitely use Barrons. It is indefensible.</p>
<p>Also I can see that someone else used PR, which is what I actually used myself (my friend from a different school used Barrons, so that’s how I know that it is the best), and let me just tell you that PR is way, way, way too concise. The only reason PR worked for me was because I was also in an APES class and used the book for topics we didn’t get to, so I owned all the parts of the exam that we studied in class and did sort of mediocre on everything else we didn’t cover in class.</p>
<p>That being said, if you’re a week out of the exam, which I don’t think any of you will be, then PR is the way to go.</p>
<p>But please, make it easy for yourself and just buy Barrons. Also, just spread out the reading in Barrons because its like a mini textbook. Best of luck to you all and just PM me if you have any questions.</p>
<p>Which text books did u guys follow in school fo AP environmental science. My D is planning to take doing private study. She is a sophomere and hence I am somwhat concerned. Any suggestions? Any online classes useful?</p>
<p>I self-studied out of PR and got a 5. I don’t think I even read the whole book and I never practiced an FRQ.</p>
<p>I’m really curious why APES is the second WORST scoring test on average… its like bio minus the incessive latin and lists.</p>
<p>My school has an 87% pass rate (4/5 score), and about half the school takes it at some point.</p>
<p>I’m taking it this year.
Loving it so far.</p>
<p>In Barron’s there are all these diagrams ranging from volcanoes to clean coal plants and nuclear power plants. Should we remember all of them for the FRQs???</p>
<p>^pretty sure FRQs wont ask for diagrams, but you should know how they work inside and out, and especially be able to compare and find negative aspects.</p>
<p>Coal and nuclear plants, greenhouse effect, nitrogen, carbon, and water cycle, population growth, must be known for general stuff. Real world examples building on those systens are what usually make up FRQs.</p>
<p>I plan on taking AP Environmental Science and other APs for my Junior year. What is it like? Is it really easy from what people say? Thanks. :)</p>
<p>So far it’s been a lot of busy work and labs but I do enjoy it. I’m taking Ap Bio as well so I hope it helps me. I have yet to buy a prep book yet but PR seems the way to go. Has anyone found released exams other than the 1998 one on College Board? I know its still early but I may start lightly reading PR when I get it.</p>
<p>I don’t think it is that early to start studying for the ap exam (especially since my teacher is really… well bad).I plan to start studying late February because I have to study for other APs too. Any more ideas on what review book to primarily study from? So far I am thinking Barron’s because it will cover all topics thoroughly?</p>
<p>Hey is Living in the Environment 17th edition a good textbook to self study with. My school doesnt give APs for sophomores and I am not going to use that as an excuse to keep me from studying for the APs. Plus, do we have to know the specific dates for the acts. let us say in the FRQs they bask to list two laws that pertain to endangered species, do u have to write the dates and if not do points get deducted. Next, does PR sum up all you need to know for the labs and ifnot what else. i am using Living in the environment, barron’s, PR, and I will get REA. Any other tips??? Thanks!!!</p>
<p>How’d it go guys?</p>