AP exams are offered every May, and your test score is how you demonstrate curriculum mastery and become eligible to earn college credit. Scores range from a low of 1 to a high of 5. Normally, colleges offer credit for scores of 3 and above, however, there are colleges that only give credit to students who score 4 and above. The exams are 3-hour multi-part tests, which may sound arduous, but with proper preparation, you can meet more than the challenge. AP tests aren’t like just any other test you’ve given in your high school, they are a glimpse of what to expect from college-level exams. We aren’t saying all this to scare you; it’s just to make you fully prepared and make you understand what you’re walking into. If you plan yourself right, you can conquer any test you set your mind to. The extra time and effort can be worth rewarding as the course can earn you college credit, which will help you start college ahead of the game.
The most important thing you can do to improve your chances of getting a 5 on an AP test is to learn the material. It is a standardized test, and there are strategies you can make to maximize your chances of success and make sure your hard work pays off. So, what things you can do to ace your AP exams? Whether you’re tackling your very first AP test or prepping for your very last one, here are some test preparation tips and tricks to help you achieve your target score.
Start Early, Study Smart
Having more time to study is almost always beneficial. There’s about a month until AP test starts, so gearing up now will really give you a head start before the real crunch time later in April. Just like with SAT and ACT test prep, students should start studying well ahead of time so they’re prepared well before the test day. Don’t wait until the week of the exam, start now by reviewing key concepts, and looking over practice materials to help you stay on track.
Make a proper timetable and make sure that when you’re studying, you’re exclusively studying which means you should avoid distractions such as music, TV, or your cell phone. Focus on the areas you don’t know. Don’t waste your time reviewing ideas you can already explain well. Pay attention to filling gaps, as it might feel good to solve those practice questions correctly.
Time Management
You are allowed to bring a watch to the exam as long as it doesn’t make noise. We highly advise doing so, as you’ll be aware of how you’re doing at any point in time.
It’s important that you pace yourself on the exam. In the MCQ section, if you find yourself getting stuck on a particular question or a series of questions, skip them and you can come back at the end. Don’t allow some of the questions to completely tank your time. If a question is making you stare in confusion for longer than a minute, then move on and come back to it later.
In the section “Free-response”, time management is even more critical because you’ll need to complete a series of tasks in an allotted amount of time. Keeping track of time will let you know if you’re on the right track to finishing everything. You need to set time targets for each essay/task in mind when you go into the exam.
Take Practice Test
Taking a practice paper is more than reviewing the course material. It’s also a great way to simulate an actual exam and familiarize yourself with the format. Every AP exam has certain sections and important areas of information to test. Take multiple practice tests to get used to the questions, timing, and test structure. Just like giving practice tests can help you improve when preparing for the SAT and ACT, taking practice AP exams goes a long way to help you become familiar with the test and what to expect on the test day.
Create Exam Environment
Getting used to giving the test will make you gain more confidence and make you more prepared. Also, small things such as using a timer and clearing your desk of all other materials can really help you prepare well when you’re actually taking the test as you won’t be distracted by minor details. Practicing tests can really help you estimate how much time you need for particular sections. A timer can also help you identify which sections you’re getting stuck and probably wasting your valuable time on. Knowing this will definitely help direct your studies better to strengthen your weak areas.
If study materials, practice tests, and study groups aren’t helping you improve, don’t hesitate to seek help either from an instructor, tutor, or an outside test prep company. Most of the time, these are trained to help students master certain concepts and are able to explain materials/problems in a way that makes it easier for the student to understand. AP exams are a very important part of a student’s curriculum, especially when demonstrating course rigor and subject mastery, so it’s critical that students taking AP exams get the help they need to master the exam. At ReWiser, we have faculties with expertise in every AP and IB academic subject. Our team of experienced experts can help you prepare for your upcoming AP exams, identifying your areas of strength and weakness and developing a custom curriculum to help you ace the exam.
AP exams are a crucial part of the college or university admissions puzzle, and scoring high can help you stand out when applying to your dream colleges or universities. Make sure you’ve prepared well enough to reach your target score.
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