Advanced Placement Exams are no joke; your scores will affect your college career and can influence future employers. Students eligible to take the AP Exam in May have completed at least one AP course during the previous school year and should be well-versed in their subject matter….but that doesn’t always apply on exam day. Preparation for the exam itself can help you achieve the best possible score, waive college course prerequisites, or perhaps even earn college credit. Listed below are 5 of the best resources to help your prepare for the AP Exam.
1. Start at the source: The College Board. AP courses and the AP Exam are created and monitored by The College Board so it stands to reason that their exam prep materials will be among the best. You can access practice questions on each subject matter through their website or download the official College Board study app
2. McGraw-Hill, a leading publisher of educational materials, offers an AP Exam Prep app that allows users to specify a subject or answer questions on general topics across the AP spectrum. Students can flag questions that are troublesome; the app will then generate more questions on the same topic or can even be programmed to create a quiz entirely made up of flagged questions. The initial version can be downloaded for free but in-app purchases of specific AP course questions make it a valuable resource for students studying for multiple subjects.
3. Play2Prep is another app that can help you prepare for the AP Exam, provided you are focusing on Math or English. “Daily training” can be customized to your current knowledge base and subject and keep you motivated to study each day. Practice tests mimic the form of the actual AP Exam and prepare you for the format and types of questions you will see in May. Play games and track your progress or compete against other players to further motivate yourself.
4. Barron’s AP books are the first name in print resources for AP Exam preparation. Study aids are published for each AP course along with sets of flash cards and CD for foreign language and music studies. The publishing company also offers guides to exam preparation that include practice tests, explanations of the answers, an overview of the testing and scoring procedures, as well as test-taking tips.
5. Study groups should not be discounted as a preparation resource for the AP exam. Groups of AP students who get together to discuss nerves and calming strategies alongside studying may have much more confidence heading in to the test. Study group members can quiz each other, debate precise answers, and proof-read practice essay questions. They can provide support, encouragement, and advice as the May testing date approaches and celebrate or commiserate together once the test is over.
The AP Exam helps set the stage for a student’s future but certainly doesn’t define it. Passing scores can help alleviate college debt by eliminating the need for certain courses and open the door of possibility to elite universities but one test will not signify success or failure in life. Putting in the work for an AP course, learning to study efficiently, and gaining knowledge are the true rewards of AP course work. The AP Exam is simply the cherry on top.
For 15 years Mimi Rothschild has been privileged to help hundreds of thousands of homeschoolers educate their children at home. The MorningStar Academy is a private online Christian school offering diplomas and teachers. The Jubilee Academy is an online Christian curriculum provider offering over 150 full year online Christian courses for PreK-12.