<p>AP exams can be very difficult and daunting, especially as their dates slowly creep closer and closer.</p>
<p>Here is a thread that has some tips for how to study the material in a short amount of time. Hopefully, you'll use some of these to help you in the upcoming weeks. If you have any to add, please do!</p>
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<ol>
<li><p>Pay Attention in Class
I know this may seem obvious, but it is important to listen to your teacher's lectures and to avoid sleeping in the actual AP class. Usually, the weeks before the exam are spent as a review, a cramming time for material not yet covered, or as a self-study period. Use these classes to your advantage. Try to spend this time retaining valuable information.</p></li>
<li><p>Relax
If you are stressed, you can read things for hours and think back, and realize that you didn't retain anything. Relax. Realize that you have (essentially) about two weeks (or more) left to study. That equates to a lot of hours. </p></li>
<li><p>Plan Your Day Out
Pull up a document on Microsoft Word. List everything you feel you have to do to be on track for studying. List times, and list what you want to do in each time frame. This way, you can stay on track and minimize the amount of time when you think "I'll never finish."</p></li>
<li><p>Read, Read, and Read
Read the information you need to memorize, over and over, on separate occasions. The more you read it, the more you will remember. I find it helpful to read something, then reread parts I didn't quite remember, then come back to it a few days later. Also, reading different sources might help you understand things more easily.</p></li>
<li><p>Take Notes
Take notes everywhere: in class, from your workbook, and from your textbook. Write them, and type them. Organize them. Learn them. Writing things down is a great way to remember information. </p></li>
<li><p>Challenge Your Mind
Study things in different ways. Read it, write it, and then explain it to somebody. This uses three different study techniques, and it should help you remember things.</p></li>
<li><p>Make Lists
Make lists with information that you need to know. For example, if you are taking World History, make a list for every Chinese dynasty, for every Mesopotamian conqueror, and for every effect Mongols had on Eurasia. In this case, making timelines might also help.</p></li>
<li><p>Study, Learn, and Write
Think about a good essay-type question that could appear on the actual exam. Write the question out completely. Then, with the topic in mind, go back and learn the material you need to know to write it. After learning it, write it without the use of your notes. See how much you remembered. See how well you elaborated in your writing. Grade your essays. </p></li>
<li><p>Prepare
Formulate questions. This is a great way to remember information, especially ones in which "NOT" is a key word. Then, you essentially are typing out four aspects of the question's subject that are true. It should help you remember. Formulate a variety of essay prompts; if you get lucky, some of the things they address will be in the actual essays on the exam.</p></li>
<li><p>Take the Tests
Take practice quizzes and tests everywhere you can find them (especially workbooks). My advice is to take one of the large ones (the first) open-workbook, and actually be diligent in looking up the questions. This is a great way to retain knowledge. Then, take the second exam, and treat it like you would the actual AP exam. Grade yourself using an online calculator. How did you do?</p></li>
<li><p>Review
Go back, and focus on topics you aren't clear about. </p></li>
<li><p>Be Prepared
Be prepared for the exam. Go to sleep early, and get up way earlier than you would normally, so you aren't tired at the actual exam. Eat breakfast, and eat chocolate before you go (it helps you think). Bring extra pencils and pens. Relax.</p></li>
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<p>Hope this helped!</p>
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