How to Prepare for AP Exams
- Buy a Study Book- Study books are a great way to review previous material from the year. Various study books such as Princeton review, college board, and Barrons review, are based on previous exams. Therefore the information in the books are mostlikey going to be seen on the exam. In addition, a lot of the times the books contain practice questions that will help prepare students for the format of the test questions. Form a study group- Creating a study group allows people to relearn the information of the class by reminding what they do know as well as teaching them what they don’t know from their friends. However it is important to keep the group small to encourage more focus on the subject. A large study group can lead to distractions and side conversations.
- Start going to sleep early now- For most, students are used to going to bed late and waking up early. The lack of sleep among student body can lead to a lack of focus. In addition the lack of energy won’t encourage studying. However in order to regain concentration it is important to start going to sleep early as soon as possible. This way, once the exam comes around, energy won’t be an issue.
- Plan a study schedule- Creating a study schedule can help to keep motivation and people on track. If studying is deliberately scheduled it is more likely that this studying will actually occur. If a student doesn’t plan when they will study it is possible that they will forget or procrastinate.
- Look over old notes- Going through old notes a little bit at a time can help to remind students of previous learned information. Even if a study book is being used, old notes are written in the students words. Therefore the old notes will help to explain the class concepts in their own words.
- Eat Healthy- Staying healthy can keep the brain working effectively and efficiently. However if one has an unhealthy diet, it is not the best idea to change the diet a few days before the exam. If an individual changes long habits it is actually proven to have a negative affect before it has a positive affect because the body isn’t used to new lifestyle. However if individuals start having healthy habits long before the exam, the positive outcomes would outweigh the effect of unhealthy habits.
- Tutoring- If concepts are being misunderstood and a student needs more help than what the teacher can offer on their time, tutoring might be a good option. It is more student focused so the tutor can focus on the needs of the individual and improve what they are struggling on.
- Take Mock Exams- AP Mock exams can help student get a feel of the exam. A lot of the time a student may struggle on completing the exam in time and going through the problems at a reasonable pace. However AP mock exams can help students get used to the timing and get used to the structure of the test. The more mock exams taken the prepared the student will be.
