AP Tests are just around the corner, and many students have been diligently studying for their two- to three-hour exams. Still, others have yet to begin reviewing or preparing. Luckily, there are many ways that students can make the daunting task of studying for these exams much simpler. 

The main reason for taking an AP exam is to earn college credit. According to the College Board, “earning college credit or placement while you’re in high school can save you time and money in the future.” These credits allow you to skip introductory classes that you would have otherwise been required to take, granting you a more flexible schedule. Additionally, if students are able to accumulate enough credits, they might be able to graduate early. 

AP Exams take place in the first two weeks of May, from May 5 to May 14. Students taking AP Exams should ask their teachers where to report and what time their test takes place. Exams either start at 8 a.m. or 12 p.m., but students should report to their testing location 20 minutes before the official testing time. They should come with their school-issued laptop, charger, pens, No. 2 pencils, an approved calculator (if applicable), and water/snack. It is important to note that mechanical pencils, highlighters, smartwatches, and headphones are not allowed. This year, many of the AP Exams are switching to fully-digital and hybrid exam formats, and many of the exams will be administered through Bluebook. 

On days when students have AP Exams, they are excused from attending their classes. However, they must notify the attendance office of the days they are signing out early/signing in late through Genesis, and sign out of the office for the absence to be verified. 

There are many different resources available to help students review and prepare. First, students should have joined their class’s AP Classroom page at the beginning of the year. Here, they will be able to find “AP Daily Videos” that go over literally all of the material that is covered in a given AP course. These videos are relatively detailed, with each containing plenty of useful information, with certain videos gearing towards on-demand MCQ and FRQ practice. However, since the material covered is so vast and each video can last anywhere from around five minutes to more than 10, it is recommended that students only watch the Daily Videos on topics that they are legitimately struggling with so as to maximize their time for other exams and keep up with schoolwork.

In addition, under the “Exam Questions and Scoring Information” section on the College Board website, students can find a list of AP courses offered and view tests and problem sets from previous years. Many of these past tests have scoring rubrics and scoring statistics attached, so students can review the mistakes they made as well as common mistakes other test takers have made in the past. 

Another supplement to one’s studying actually comes from video-sharing platforms such as YouTube. On these sites, there are numerous creators that make educational content dedicated to AP topics and AP review. These videos are usually used best when trying to get a general overview of a unit or to focus on something extremely specific, but they shouldn’t be your cornerstone to study for the AP tests. A list of helpful YouTube channels for different topics are listed below.

• AP History Exams – Heimler’s History – YouTube
• AP Chemistry – Jeremy Krug – YouTube
• AP Biology – AP Bio Penguins Insta-Review – YouTube
• AP Physics Exams – Flipping Physics – YouTube
• AP Calculus Exams – Turksvids – YouTube

In addition to YouTube, there are multiple free websites students can use to help them prepare. Khan Academy contains instructional videos, practice questions for specific topics, and AP-style questions for the most popular AP exams. Knowt, a free flashcard and note software, is a free alternative to Quizlet and contains many free review guides, flashcards, and questions to help students review AP exams. Varsity Tutors contains many free AP practice tests and diagnostic tests to help students identify their weaknesses and improve. AP Practice Exams is an additional resource for students who have exhausted previous questions and practice sets. 

Another way of preparing for AP exams is to buy review books to use as a guide and supplement. These review books come from companies such as Princeton Review and Barron’s, and although each book can cost anywhere from $15 to $20s, they are well worth the money. Each book contains a comprehensive breakdown of the test itself, and gives tips on how to score as many points as possible. They also contain a general overview of a given course’s material. However, given that the material overview is broad and not super in-depth, it should be noted that for information, these books should be used more as a supplement rather than the cornerstone of studying. Finally, these books also contain full-length practice tests, complete with MCQ sections and FRQ practice, which can give general ideas of how an exam will feel and how to appropriately time each portion of the test.

While studying specific concepts and problems are important for succeeding in AP exams, students should also become familiar with the test structure and scoring. Albert.io provides AP score calculators that allows students to predict the score they will receive on the exam based on how many questions they get correct for each section. This can help students prepare strategically and prioritize their studies on the sections of the test they need the most improvement in. 

The night before an AP test can make students feel incredibly nervous, but it’s important to keep a level head on the eve of exam day. Many students may be enticed to spend the night cramming for their exam, but this might actually be counterintuitive to their performance on test day.  Eating well-rounded meals, drinking plenty of water, and getting sufficient sleep are crucial to making sure you do well on test day. However, if you still feel like you’re struggling, minimal studying may help if you just focus on your weakest areas. Make sure to not stress yourself ragged the night before your exam. 

To all students testing soon, you’ve got this.