Gina Germano

With Advanced Placement (AP) testing starting this week, students may be feeling stressed or anxious about how to prepare.
While there is no right or wrong way to study, there are a couple steps students can take prior to the test day to maximize their time spent reviewing.
First, organize your thoughts. Find out which areas you are stronger in and which areas you need to improve prior to the test. That way, you aren’t studying everything in the curriculum but rather a few main key points.
This is a good starting point for just about any AP exam as it makes the study process less daunting, especially at the last minute.
The College Board is a great place to start when searching for study material. No matter the AP test subject, AP Classroom has free practice videos led by experienced teachers, practice problems and insightful tips to help you score as highly as possible.
If you are preparing for a math AP exam, completing released AP test problems from previous years is very helpful. You can use the scoring guidelines as an answer key to check your answers. Doing so is beneficial as it ensures you have as much testing experience as possible prior to the actual exam.
With science APs, it is recommended to study similarly to the math exams. YouTubers such The Organic Chemistry Tutor are also great for last minute studying, covering topics and sharing tips for tests.
Khan Academy is another great resource as it contains practice problems from each unit for all AP exams, though it is particularly useful for science AP tests. Since Khan Academy is affiliated with the College Board, the questions are highly accurate for each AP test, highlighting your strengths as well as what you need to review.
If you are preparing for a history exam such as APUSH or AP European History, YouTubers such as Heimler’s History and Adam Norris can be great tools for last minute cramming on a wide variety of topics in history. Both channels provide summaries of major historical events and unit reviews for each type of AP history exam.
Heimler’s History also includes tips for writing effective free response essays, and even last minute AP cram livestreams. If you are studying highly specific events, Quizlet can also be a great tool for highlighting key terms and definitions, particularly last minute.
Studying for an English exam like AP Language and Composition can be difficult, but one helpful piece of advice is to read previous student’s essays. That way, you can get a sense of what worked well for them and you can implement those techniques when writing your own essays.
Taking a look at the rubric and scoring guidelines for every test can also help you succeed. It puts into perspective what the test graders are specifically looking for when grading your test, ensuring you can get as many points as possible.
The night before your test, don’t stay up late cramming. According to the American Psychological Association, studying earlier in the day and spacing out your study sessions can improve long-term memory of the subject.
While it may be tempting to study as much as possible the night before the test, make sure you take mindful breaks. According to the National Institute of Health, taking breaks between study sessions can increase retention of what was just practiced.
Lastly, don’t stress. Although it’s easier said than done, taking a couple deep breaths before walking into the test room can help soothe your nerves. You’ve been preparing for this all year, all you have to do now is prove what you know.
Hopefully you find these tips useful. Best of luck, you’ve got this.