My Tips for Taking AP Exams

This past week I took 2 AP exams: AP Environmental Science and AP United States History. I have taken a few in the last two years and I think they can be a great choice if you think you are up to the challenge. I do want to say that they are much more rigorous than a normal class in that subject area because they are college level classes. However, it is better to get an A in an honors class than to get a C in an AP class, so make sure you are going to be able to do well. But without further ado, here are my tips:

1) Start studying at the very beginning of the year.

AP exams cover all the material from the entire year in depth so it is very important to remember information from the beginning of the course. A lot of my history questions this year were on events before the Civil War. AP likes to challenge you and will test on subjects they think you may have forgotten about.

2) Take practice exams before taking the real test.

Timing is everything in AP. If you run out of time, it will be very difficult to get the score you want. If you have taking a full practice test you will get used to the timing of the test. Some tests, like the US History one, have a section were you have to split your time to write multiple essays. I know giving up a Saturday morning for a practice test doesn't sound fun but it could make a big difference in your score.

3) Sleep the night before. We all know that cramming until 3 am never works!

The test will drain your energy so you better start with a full tank. DO NOT STUDY THE NIGHT BEFORE! If you don't know it by then, you won't know it during the test!

4) Wear comfy clothes.
You will be sitting for more than 3 hours. No one gets to judge your clothing choices. Chances are they will be wearing the same type of thing.

5) Don't freak out if the essay questions seem difficult.
You WILL know something related to the topic if you have been paying attention in class. Also, sometimes the questions are written in a way that makes them seem more difficult than what they actually are. Figure out what it is asking and plan your answer. Freaking out will make things worse and hinder your performance. Just remember:

If you have any questions or extra tips comment them below! :)

XOXO Avery