As spring approaches, so does AP exam season for students. This means practice tests and notes will take the place of rest and relaxation. While often overwhelming, students who have previously succeeded on their exams say that the key is not last minute cramming but consistent, planned preparation over time. Students who have taken multiple AP classes emphasize that when students start studying matters just as much as how they study. Many recommend beginning review during spring break or even earlier in order to get a head start for application and memorization.
“I took AP Seminar and APUSH and I got a 5 on both,” junior Molly Brisman said, “I think spring break is the time to start prepping.”
When taking multiple AP courses, it is extremely difficult to stay on top of studying for several exams at once. Senior Samaaya Agarwal explained, in her opinion, the best study method in order to get long term retention for the content.
“Space out your studying and study a little bit of each subject each day. This guarantees that your brain is really grasping the material,” senior Samaaya Agarwal said.
While cramming before the exam may feel productive in the moment, it often leads to stress and burnout without any long-term results. Another common mistake is focusing too much on a difficult, specific subject. This mistake could lead students to neglect other subjects.
“The biggest mistake I see people make is trying to cram the week before, just study for thirty minutes a day for a couple months leading up to the exam and you will be set,” Brisman said.
Another common strategy is rotating between multiple subjects to keep the material fresh and prevent students from falling behind in any area.
“I took AP seminar, AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP US history. I got 5’s on all of them,” junior Trinity Wang said, “My best advice is to prioritize studying the harder/longer subjects first such as history.”
When it comes to study tools, not all methods are as effective as others. Passive review like re-reading notes is not entirely effective. Practice exams, review books, and active recall techniques, such as flashcards, tend to be much more helpful.
“I think making your own study guide is the most helpful. Furthermore, practice tests online (especially those from college board) are useful too,” Wang said.
