For high school students, AP test preparation can be quite stressful, because you have to prepare for three-hour exams while staying on top of other coursework and extracurricular activities. However, having a high AP score is evidence that an applicant is capable of handling college-level coursework, and it can also qualify you to be exempted from taking introductory-level college courses. Over 2,000 nonprofit colleges and universities grant students college credit for qualifying AP Scores. Especially for applicants who’re applying to schools in the Top-30 nationally ranked, high AP scores are expected.
Step 1: Understand the 2024 AP Test Schedule to plan ahead
Step 2: Take a practice AP test to evaluate your knowledge/level and discover areas for improvement
Depending on which AP courses you decided to take, you can log onto the College Board AP website to do practice questions for the courses.
Besides receiving updates on the College Board website about AP courses, students can also refer to the high-level course index page to understand what topics will be covered and what skills will be tested in the exam.
After reviewing the AP course content, you should compare it with the syllabus for your class in school to make sure all topics on the exam are covered in class, as well as making sure the exam formats are also discussed in class.
Step 3: Make a study plan
There’s also a checklist provided by Trevor Packer, Senior VP of Advanced Placement at the College Board, to make sure students stay on top of their schedules.
If you are planning to take multiple AP classes, we recommend that you should spend around 3-4 hours each day of the week studying one different test. For example:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
AP Physics | AP Chemistry | AP Economics | AP Physics | AP Chinese |
By limiting yourself to 1 test/day, you won’t feel overwhelmed and rush to finish learning multiple different tests each day. If you feel like there’s a subject that you want to improve further, you can use 1 or 2 days during the weekend.
While learning, if you have trouble learning certain concepts, write them down as soon as possible and put them into flashcards, or whichever tools that you’re comfortable using. Flashcards are great ways for aiding memorization; however, to fully understand the concepts beyond definition, you should do practice questions related to the concepts so that you’ll gain long term memory. Flashcards can be purchased easily on Amazon or any bookstores near you.
Step 4: Practice with AP Practice Questions and Review
For practice questions, you can first work on the most recent year’s questions then work your way backward. The example list of AP Practice Questions is here: AP Art History, AP Music Theory, AP English Language and Composition
Besides the main questions from the AP website, you can also access: https://www.appracticeexams.com/ to gain more practice through the AP test questions they provide.
Besides doing practice questions online, you also can seek additional help from tutors at Aralia Education. Our teachers are currently teaching in high schools or colleges, they fully understand the AP Exam question format, and will guide students to achieve success on their AP Exams.
Introducing Aralia Test Preparation Bootcamp, where students can excel in standardized tests with our comprehensive approach. At Aralia, we prioritize maximizing study efficiency and accelerating score improvement through a combination of practice examinations, expert strategies, and personalized guidance. Our Bootcamp offers students the opportunity to achieve significant score improvements within a condensed timeframe by learning strategic approaches tailored to their individual needs. With instructors who are AP readers, students benefit from expert teaching and gain valuable insights into exam techniques. Furthermore, our program equips students with versatile skills and strategies that can be applied to a range of standardized tests, ensuring they are well-prepared to adapt to various exam types.
FREE AP Scoring Worksheet
With the scoring worksheet, you will be able to calculate your target score in preparation for the upcoming exam in May. We also have a full scoring worksheet available below if you want to print it out and keep it in your folder.
This online course is the perfect opportunity for students to prepare to take an AP Physics course at their host institution. Taught by an experienced AP Physics teacher, this interactive course focuses on strong conceptual development in the most challenging areas of the AP Physics curriculum. The online sessions will cover the salient points in the most traditionally arduous areas of the College Board’s curriculum, beginning with kinematics, dynamics, circular motion and gravitation, work and energy, impulse and momentum, rotational mechanics, and finally oscillations and harmonic oscillators.
