If you are going to take one or more AP exams this year then you have come to the right place, we will help solve all your queries with this blog – here is everything you need to know to do well in AP exams this year. But, before we start – grab a notebook or a paper and make sure to write down your motivation to study to do well in your exams and it will keep you engaged. Some of the common & effective motivators are saving time and money in college by transferring your AP credits and improving your chances of getting admission into big colleges and universities.
MAKE A SCHEDULE & ALWAYS PLAN AHEAD
In 2022, the College Board is offering 3 different administrations of AP exams to give students multiple opportunities of taking the tests.
Depending on the exam and the date of administration, the tests will differ in Mode/format. Do check the College Board website for the specific subjects, date, and format that you are taking the test so you know what to expect.
ORGANIZE ALL YOUR STUDY MATERIALS & TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THEM
You should always put quality over quantity whenever it comes down to AP prep. There are a lot of materials available that might not be from reliable sources, especially the ones that are found online. So you can join us, Mittal Learning Stars – we will provide you with all the necessary materials required with expert support at your convenience.
AP Central Website is also a good option because you can get all the information you need regarding AP exams, their structure, and what percentage of each topic will be covered in the exam.
During your preparation, plan to take one to two, fully timed practice tests so that you’ll know where you currently stand and how much effort you need to put in to pass the test. This will improve your endurance of sitting through the exam, will give you a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses, and will improve your writing speed for the exam. Make sure to spend time going over your mistakes and note the topics you don’t feel confident in. Then plan your study time accordingly or else join us, we will help you through your prep journey.
DO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL & PHYSICAL HEALTH
Yes, if you want to score well on the test then you definitely need to study hard, but so is eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep is important. Do not underestimate the power of a good diet and enough sleep. A balanced diet will give you the physical energy and mental strength you need to endure these long and mentally demanding exams as well as studying sessions.
Do you know, Exercising is a natural way of releasing stress and anxiety. So If you feel nervous about the test or you are anxious about it then the best thing you should do is to take a walk and a nap after a good – long study session.
It is when we are asleep that learning is fused with our minds. Never stay awake for too long at night because sleep deprivation is very serious, it impairs cognitive and motor functions at levels equivalent to the phase when we are drunk or you can say alcohol intoxication. If somehow you only had one day to prepare for the exam, then it is far more effective to study during the day and get a good night’s sleep than it is to stay awake all night to study and then attend the test sleep-deprived. Do not let panic take the best of you before the test and sleep early.
MAKE & USE A GOOD TEST PREP STRATEGY
- SET UP EFFECTIVE STUDY SESSIONS
Studying a little bit every day is better than not studying and cramming everything for the last day. You should always consider studying in smaller intervals and taking short breaks in between your study sessions than studying & maintaining focus for straight 8 hours. Here is a great technique or a way to follow while studying –
If you still find it hard to find the motivation to study, start with just 5 minutes. After those 5 minutes are up, give yourself a choice whether you want to renew this contract with yourself for 5 more minutes or you can stop and be free. Either way, you make progress because 5 minutes is still better than nothing! You’ll notice that studying is more doable than you thought before when you were procrastinating, it seemed a lot harder.
- TAKING EFFECTIVE BREAKS
To maximize your potential and optimize your studying, you should take effective breaks and do something you enjoy or do whatever that is fun to you. Remember to stretch your body, breathe some fresh air and get some sunlight if you can.
- STRATEGIES FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Make sure to don’t leave any MCQ blank. If you have to guess, try to terminate as many answer choices as possible. If you don’t have any idea about a specific question then select your favorite letter and mark that question as guessed so that you can review it later. Remember, you don’t need to get every answer right to get a top score on the exam, so try to find the questions that will be easiest for you and manage your time accordingly by giving first preference to the questions that you know you can solve. But, if you are giving your exams by digital means then this method will not work, you can’t go back if you already attempted the question so keep that in mind before making a final decision.
- STRATEGIES FOR FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS
On the actual exam make sure to always write something down for the free response questions. Even if you don’t know the answer, but you have an idea of how to answer it, explain your idea & thought process for a chance to get partial credits.