5 Important Steps to Remember While Preparing for the AP Exams

Advanced Placement (AP) exams are college-level tests conducted by the College Board in the United States. High school students can earn college credits by taking AP exams while still in school. Students can choose the subjects/courses in which they would like to earn credits. You can check out the list of AP courses and exams for the year on the College Board website. More than 90% of the colleges and universities in the U.S. consider a student's AP scores to award college credits or course placement. To find out the credit value of your AP scores at a particular college/university, you will need to contact the admissions team of that institute.

Although AP scores aren't a requisite for college admissions like SAT or ACT, earning high AP scores will help in the successful completion of your 4-year course in college, thus, giving you more time to pursue other educational/career opportunities. On that note, here are some important steps to remember while preparing for your AP exams.

5 Crucial Steps for Successful Preparation of AP Exams

Yes, studying for AP exams on top of your regular school work and other standardized tests prep can feel like an impossible task, but there are ways by which you can accomplish the task.

1. Make sure to choose the right AP course: When picking an Advanced Placement course, make sure that it's a subject you are good at because learning an AP course requires excellent reading and writing skills along with discipline and focus. If you select courses that not only interest you but also have higher scoring chances, it will work in your favor. The AP courses chosen by you may not be taught in-depth at your high school. In that case, consider attending separate online classes for those courses.
2. Register for AP course before taking the exam: To register for an AP course, seek the counsel of your school's guidance counselor or AP teacher. Most schools offer AP courses. However, if your school does not, find out if your school has partnered with other schools that offer AP programs. Homeschooled students must approach the College Board to register for AP courses. You don't need to register for an AP course to take the exam, but research shows that students who have taken the course do better in the exam.
3. Familiarize yourself with the AP exam format and scoring: The test consists of two sections; multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. The multiple-choice section is graded by the computer while the free-response section is graded by AP teachers. Students have the option to request rescoring of multiple-choice answers by teachers rather than the computer. Both scores put together will form the full score. On a 5-point scale, AP scores of 3 and above are considered good. Students with the highest AP score of 5 are given the AP Scholar awards that can be attached to the AP scores and sent to colleges of their choice.
4. Attempt a few practice AP tests before the final exam: Not all students are good test-takers. To improve your test-taking skills, you need to practice taking tests. The College Board website has sample free-response questions that can come in handy while you prep for AP exams. Many online tutoring services offer practice AP tests and worksheets to help students with their exam prep.
5. Choose the right time to take the exam: In case you are preparing for both SAT and AP, schedule the exams in such a way that any common AP and SAT course you have chosen can be attempted at the same time. For instance, if you are studying for AP Math, then pick the SAT Math exam date for the same month as the AP exam. This way, your AP prep for math will help your SAT exam as well.

In addition to reviewing your AP course content, taking practice tests, and revising rigorously, make sure to get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast before appearing for the AP exam. All the hours and efforts you put into preparing for the exams will prove beneficial. Here's wishing you all the best for your AP exams!