AP testing began on May 5 and will continue until May 16. Solon High School is conducting its AP tests in either the Gym or the Lecture Hall. Students who take AP classes are required to take the tests if they want to receive credit for the course, and if they get a passing score, they could potentially earn college credit depending on the criteria of the college in which they are going to. Mrs. Bush, AP Language and Composition teacher, Mr. Kleinhenz, AP Calculus BC teacher, Mrs. Geiger, AP Environmental Science teacher, and Mrs. Davidoff, AP Psychology teacher, give tips on how to ace the AP tests.
Q: How do you balance studying for AP tests with your personal life?
Bush: I think that most teachers would hope that the kids find a plan of study so they know what score they want to get and how close they are depending on practice tests they’ve been taking and grades they’ve been getting in class. Maybe come up with a plan to study a bit earlier so they can squeeze in a few hours per day. A little different approach is to get rewards each time they take a practice test.
Geiger: I think the best tip would be to not procrastinate and put off something that needs done. Be kind to your future self. You have been taking this class for an entire year. Don’t let all that hard work go to waste. So start early [in] small chunks, and give yourself a little reward of free time, but put it on your schedule to study a little bit to get ready for APs.
Davidoff: For the AP test in May, I would recommend finding a group of friends that are taking the course and maybe study together. That way, it’s twofold: you get to spend time with your friends and you get time to review for your test.
Q: How should you study for APs?
Bush: I think it depends on the subject and where you are. Ideally, you are learning the material as you go along. It depends on whether it is a skills subject like AP Lang or content like I assume for AP World. You have to start with your weaknesses and build from there. In AP Classroom, you can do a skills report and zoom in on exactly the skill you need to improve. You can watch the videos or ask your teacher to give you more practice.
Kleinhenz: I think the best way to study for AP exams is to study all year. Stay up on your work and bring it up if you don’t understand. Throughout the year, I always throw old material at them so they aren’t just cramming two weeks before the AP test begins. I think that would be a good way to balance time.
Geiger: Incrementally. Start early and don’t wait until the last minute. May is all about studying for your AP tests and chunking it all in, so use your resources that your teachers have provided. AP Environmental Science has a whole tab in Google Classroom entirely for exam prep. Find your weak spots and see what you have to work on. Ask your teachers questions and for resources if they haven’t handed it out. Use everything at your disposal.
Davidoff: There is a great Psych term called the spacing effect. The idea behind the theory is that the earlier you begin, the better. As you approach the test, you need less and less time to cover the same amount of material.
Q: How can students manage time on AP tests?
Bush: I think they definitely need to be mindful about the time. I know some subjects offer scratch paper. The kids need to go in with a plan on how long to spend on each task.
Kleinhenz: I like to do the division thing. If you have 30 MCQ’s in an hour, you give two minutes a question. That’s where you should go. Knock the ones you know how to do first and then those questions that really make you think, save them until the end.
Geiger: A great way to be doing that is to do practice tests that are timed. That way, you get used to the speed that it’s going to take to cover 80 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes or chunking your FRQs and giving tips on how to write them. Expedite your process of thinking and organizing and putting it into the computer since they’re all digital exams.
Davidoff: Before the physical exam, I hope that the teachers have prepared them in a pacing manner. I think that once they have the pacing solidified, they gain confidence knowing they have enough time to finish the exam.
Q: What should students do the night before an AP exam?
Bush: I think [the best thing is to] get a good night’s sleep. They should not study all night. They need to quit studying at some time, do something they enjoy, and try to go to bed early. Wake up the next morning and have some protein in their breakfast.
Kleinhenz: Sleep, eat, and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Look over the big ideas. There’s a trap of studying the things you already know since it makes you feel good. Try studying the concepts that you don’t know.
Geiger: Best thing to do is to get a good night’s rest because trying to cram it all in and staying up all night is wildly ineffective. You aren’t clicking save until you go to sleep, so get some rest, wake up on time, and be ready for the day. The night before should not be a cram session since you’re not going to remember everything. Putting in a good amount of studying before, get some good rest, and get ready to score a 5 hopefully.
Davidoff: They should sleep and eat a good dinner. By that time, you either know it or you don’t, so the best thing you can do is sleep and come the next day to take your test.
CollegeBoard will release the AP scores online through the students’ AP Classroom accounts on July 7.
