Studious Sailors! Although the spring brings a nice break, it also brings along AP exams. Over the first two and a half weeks of May, thirty-four exams will take place. These exams, as many of you know, are long and intensive. It is important to prepare and study in a way that leads you to success while maintaining your physical and mental wellbeing! Here is what you should do before, during, and after AP exams.

Before the Exam:

Practice

We all know that practice makes perfect. Taking a three-hour exam with little exposure to the test format is not a position you want to find yourself in. Take multiple AP practice exams before your test in May. By taking sample tests, you will grow comfortable with commonly tested material and also recognize question patterns you will see in May. Familiarizing yourself with the exam will also help you adjust to the time frame. Time management is key to AP exams and learning this takes a lot of practice!

Make a Study Schedule

Designate specific times in your week to study for your exams. This allows for better preparation and will prevent you from cramming the week or night before.

Buy AP Prep Books

There are several AP test prep books you can find in libraries, online, or in stores! Take advantage of these review guides, since many of them include practice tests that mirror the AP exams. Additionally, test prep books include expert test-taking strategies and excellent content review.The following are some student favorites:

• Princeton Review
• Barron’s Review
• Kaplan Crash Course
• Cliffsnotes Review

Watch Review Videos!

• https://thecrashcourse.com/

Crash Course transforms the traditional textbook model by presenting information in a fast-paced video format. Additionally, the videos are entertaining and truly enhance the learning experience!

• https://www.tomrichey.net/

Tom Richey is the king of AP history courses; his videos, powerpoints, writing courses, and practice exams are bound to help you get a 5 on your exam.

During the Exam:

Read Questions Carefully!

Don’t Be Afraid to Guess!

AP exams do not penalize for wrong answers! Feel free to guess without the fear of it hurting your score.

P.O.E – Process of Elimination

Do your best to cross out the choices you know are wrong. Then, focus on the way the question is worded and read every choice carefully. Additionally, avoid selecting the first “right” answer because a later option may be the “best” answer.

Pace Yourself!

Timing is key on the AP exams. If you are struggling with a particular question, do not waste your valuable time. On multiple choice, you may have approximately less than one minute per question. It is best to move on and tackle the questions you know the answers to.

SNACKS

Food is fuel for the brain!

Stay Positive!

After the Exam:

Unwind

Take time to relax after your exams in May! These tests can be both physically and mentally exhausting. Do not stress about how you did or spend hours thinking about your score. It is over! Put AP exams behind you until next year!

Focus on School

After you complete your AP exams, devote the time you spent studying towards your classwork. The year is not over yet!

2018 AP Testing Schedule:

Week 1:

Week 2: