With AP testing around the corner, many students have been working hard to prepare for the exams. For students who aren’t so

sure about how to study, here are some tips from other teachers and students.

1. Practice!

“For stem-related APs such as Calc, doing practice questions is your best friend. Don’t go over content, just do practice questions, because any content you didn’t know, you will learn,” said Juliana Yang (‘24).

In the simplest terms, doing practice problems or practice tests is a great way to review for the exam. Especially if you aren’t so confident in certain aspects of the subject, this allows you to find your weak spots.

2. Create study groups

You might have heard teachers talk about forming study groups. Well, it’s a good idea! Forming study groups can bring up information or ideas that you haven’t considered before. 

“Study groups are really helpful because hearing someone else talk about it might jog your memory during the exam,” said AP Biology teacher Cora Da Costa.

3. Remove distractions

For some people, focusing on studying isn’t the easiest thing to do. With distractions like your phone, try and put them away so you can focus on your work. Besides physical distractions, it’s a good idea to keep necessities like food and water with you.

“Don’t have too many distractions, a bottle of water and some snacks should be enough. If you really want background music, I’d

suggest some Lofi beats, as they tend to fade into the background unlike other forms of music,” said Ethan Fan (‘24).

4. Chunking your time

While studying, time management is a really important skill to have. It will help you to digest information faster and make use of time efficiently.

“Study early and study when you have a lot of rest. Try and study in small chunks of time, like half an hour then take a break for half an hour. Get something to eat, do something fun, and then go back and study another chunk for half an hour. That way you’re not dreading it and you have time to process the information,” said Da Costa.

5. Don’t over stress

For those who are new to the idea of AP tests and even those who aren’t, know that it won’t be as bad as you think. Although you may find it very stressful, your knowledge of the subject is what will carry you through the exam.

“Don’t worry, just remember a 70% is a 5 and the AP test will always be easier than the class you just finished,” said Yang.