We have finally reached the tail end of the school year, and with the release of school into summer comes one of the most difficult parts of high school: exams. While normal EOCs and other various state tests are difficult, the upperclassmen and some sophomores are far more concerned about the more intense AP classes, with the AP final exams being notoriously hard. With these exams approaching rapidly, teachers of these classes do everything in their power to make sure students pass. After all, students passing is essential for keeping their job and is paired along with monetary incentive given to teachers for a high student pass-fail ratio. One of the most interesting AP teachers is Kurt Thoreson, the only teacher of AP Biology. His rigorous study routine is taken to the extreme for AP exam season, which his students see firsthand. Many students find the review, however rigorous it may be, extremely useful for exam preparation.
“The mock EOCs that he gives out help me figure out which topics I’m better and worse at,” says Anna Frick (12). “Also, topics I found quite difficult during the original lessons make more sense now after the full course has been taught, so now I can understand these things when the exam happens.” He was willing to elaborate on his exam review course in an interview, as well as answer other questions about his AP exams.
Firstly, in regard to the ways in which he makes his students review for the exam, he describes it in detail. “I use two different AP Bio mock exams and I require every student to take at least one of them, if not both,” says Thoreson. Detailing this further, he says “We spend two weeks afterwards going every single problem, both the multiple choice, going through every option, and then we go in heavy detail over the FRQs.”
From this rigorous review, many students feel like they can create a game plan of sorts for the exam before even taking it. “Taking the mock exams let me figure out how I could manage my time on the exam months before I even took it for real,” says Katherine Arnold (12). Furthermore, Thoreson believes that his review directly correlates to how high the pass rate on the exam is. “I’ve had many students say the reason they passed is the mock exam opened their eyes,” says Thoreson.
As far as the future goes for Thoreson’s class, he would like to give out advice to his future potential students as far as what he thinks should be required before entering the class. “They should have all the needed prerequisite classes, such as chemistry and both algebras under their belt, and also they must make sure to have an impeccable work ethic and a desire to learn the material,” says Thoreson.
All in all, Thoreson’s way of going about his AP exam review is very unique but very effective, and he hopes to continue his high pass rate into the future of his teaching career.