As the school year comes to an end and students begin to chatter excitedly about summer break plans, Advanced Placement (AP) tests loom ahead. Emails of information and test dates, as well as study resources, begin releasing as teachers and students prepare for the next weeks of testing.
Material is one of the main concerns of students, as yearlong lectures and information are needed for these tests. All AP test subjects have many vocabulary words, timelines, and readings that must be done.
“I’m only taking one AP this year, so I’m really taking the time to go through all the material that I have available to me,” said Jackie Oh, a junior.
For the teachers, preparing their students for these exams is crucial. Many teachers do content reviews and practice exams the week leading up to their AP test.
“We usually have about four weeks before the test to review. We spend a day on each unit, assign two practice tests to be taken at home, and have a graded practice test during the two weeks before the AP exam,” said Michael O’Neall, an AP Environmental Science teacher.
By not only focusing on content, but also the types of questions given, students are readily prepared for any multiple-choice questions, document-based questions, or short-answer questions given.
“I think the most important part is timed practice with AP-style questions and grading them yourself. A lot of the test comes down to understanding not just the content we cover but also the way the questions are worded,” O’Neall said.
I think the most important part is timed practice with AP-style questions and grading them yourself. A lot of the test comes down to understanding not just the content we cover, but also the way the questions are worded.
— Michael O'Neall
With changing guidelines to the AP tests, such as the number of documents required for a document-based question or other rubric modifications, students will need to read over these changes and adjust. But to check everything off of students’ review checklists, they must find efficient ways to study.
“I like using the blurt method, which is basically just writing down anything on a piece of paper like definitions and big idea concepts,” Oh said.
Others use videos and other review content to study. Many AP World History students use this strategy, finding YouTube channels such as Heimler’s History and Freeman-Pedia as resources.
“In preparation for the exam, I’ve been reviewing this year’s content through YouTube videos, as well as taking practice tests,” said Brant Chung, a sophomore taking AP World History.
As stress ramps up through the last few weeks of school, students begin to look forward to the upcoming summer break and other activities teachers have planned for the remaining days of the semester.
“I think the idea that I’m not the only one who’s scared about testing puts me at ease because I know that all I can do is my best to prep myself,” Oh said.
