You may be wondering why you would need such help, and the answer is simple: preparation is key. The subject of college and university studies is so diverse that it’s impossible to get all the facts about the subject before sitting for the exam. Therefore, you will need to do research, read up on the subject matter, and prepare for test-specific topics before taking the actual examination. However, there are lots of ways that you can do this, and the best way is to get a dedicated study guide that will help you review everything you need, as well as provide some helpful tips and tricks that can help you speed through the process. Fortunately, finding such a resource is easier than ever.
First of all, you need to decide what resources you need. There are lots of ways to go about this. You could buy a guide that works with all the schools that you’re interested in, and that includes AP courses for all of the subjects you’ll need to study for. However, these review materials can be very expensive. You could also try renting a hard copy book from your local library, or even looking for old textbooks at a used bookstore – just make sure that they come with a copyright statement, or at least a warranty that the work is not copyrighted.
Another alternative would be to purchase a CD-ROM. These are cheap and convenient, and allow you to study at your own pace. Plus, since they are compact disks, you can burn them to CD and carry them with you. Some are also available in a variety of formats, including PDF, audio, and video. Just make sure that you get the right one for your needs, and that it comes with a guarantee.
The main drawback is that you have to actually put the CD into your computer in order to get the learning material. Without the manual, it’s pretty much just a guessing game. Even if you’ve studied hard, you may still come out a loser if you don’t really know what you’re doing when it comes to the actual test. Another downside to study guides or books is that they don’t always contain enough sample questions for you to feel ready to answer. If you only get five or six answers, chances are good that you won’t pass the test – but you can certainly get a lot of practice.
A third option that you might want to consider when looking at ways to take the AP Exam, is simply to review. Reviewing previous AP courses, and answering the burning questions that you’ll inevitably face when taking the actual test will give you a big leg up in the world of studying. This way, you’ll be able to breeze through the entire course in record time and will likely pass with flying colors. Of course, not everyone has the luxury of time to devote to studying, but the better you get at answering questions, the more confident you’ll become on the actual exam. Plus, if you do review, make sure you spend a fair amount of time doing it – doing a poor job of review could mean missing some great resources that could help you tremendously on the test.
Finally, when you take the test, it’s a good idea to practice. As long as you actually study and work on your problems, rather than just cringing and wishing you could forget the whole thing, you should be able to get pretty decent at it in no time. Try and make a schedule for when you study, and stick to it like glue, so that you can get the maximum benefit from every minute that you spend practicing.
When you are faced with deciding whether or not you should take the AP Exam, it’s ultimately a personal choice. Sure, you may have parents who would say “take the AP Exam!” but they have no real influence on your decision, so really, their advice doesn’t count in any way. If you have decided that you seriously want to get into the graduate program of your choice, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t take the AP Exam.
