(UNDATED) – Most students don’t prepare this far in advance for the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams which are scheduled for mid-May. But with extra time on their hand, it’s a good time to start.
Now is a good time for students to sit for a full-length AP practice test. The results of this practice test will reveal which areas require the most review while also exposing you to the pace and format of the exam that you will soon complete.
Based on the results of your first practice test, you should take an honest inventory of the topics you lost points on and develop a realistic and personalized study schedule. Educators say students should try to review one topic per day, for anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour.
You may have also realized that some topics are especially challenging or too complex to be reviewed on one’s own. This is the ideal time to reach out to your AP instructor to request extra help. Your instructor may even have some review sessions already scheduled; if so, take advantage of these sessions by arriving with a list of specific questions to ask.
Your instructor should be able to point you toward helpful online resources or library books that could assist you in your AP exam studies.
Two weeks prior to your AP exam consider taking another full-length practice test. This second practice test allows you to determine your study progress, as well as gauge any time management improvements. Remember to mirror genuine testing conditions as closely as possible by using a timer and working in an appropriate location.
Approach your AP instructor again if you still have concerns with your results.
With just one week remaining until your AP exam, you should drastically narrow down the number of concepts you are reviewing. Limit the scope of your studies to just three to five problematic or predominant themes known to appear on the AP test.
The last few days before your AP exam should primarily be dedicated to ensuring that you are well-rested and not stressed. Avoid reviewing any test content in the last day before your AP exam. Instead, prepare all the materials you will need during the test: No. 2 pencils, blue or black ink pens, an official form of ID, and an appropriate calculator (if applicable). Finally, make sure to set an alarm and get to bed early the night before your test.
Fiveable is a free social learning platform for both high school students and teachers specific focused on Advanced Placement (AP) prep. The site offers live streams, trivia battles and Q&A forums where students can connect directly with teachers across 15 different AP subjects within English, STEM, History and Social Sciences.
The platform has experienced a steady increase in traffic due to Coronavirus, especially with new teachers logging on and creating accounts, as they have the ability to create their own dashboard and make assignments for their students through the platform.
