Students prepare to take AP Exams

It is officially AP testing season and students are rushing to finalize studying for the exams before they begin next week. After a whole year of rigorous work, the testing will decide whether students earn the college credit or not. 

Since stakes are high, many students have been studying for the exams for a while. However, with homework in addition to studying, some students also have struggled to find time or effective ways to prepare for testing.

Many upper class students take multiple tests, so they have a variety of things to prepare for. 

“This year I am taking 3 AP tests: chemistry, literature, and European history,” junior Hannah Hittle said.

The tests have many parts, often including a multiple choice section, short-answer questions and longer essay questions.

“I am most worried about the multiple choice sections of the tests,” Hittle said.

“I am most nervous for the short-answer questions because it is a lot of information without any documents for guidance,” freshman Lucy Kaiser said. Kaiser is taking the world history exam.

Due to limited class time left at the end of the year, often teachers are packing in final content, so it is hard to find time for studying during class.

“I have studied basically all outside of school. For AP Euro we are doing some reviews right now, but for AP Literature and AP Chem, I have been pretty much on my own,” Hittle said.

“I have studied both in class and outside of school for the test. I would say it has been a good mix of both,” Kaiser said. 

There are many different study techniques and resources used by students.

“I would recommend students find study methods that work best for them. Personally, I really enjoy flashcards, but I also utilize online sources like Khan Academy and such, as well as test prep books, so it is really all across the board,” Hittle said.

“It has been very helpful to refer to notes from the beginning of the year as well as online study sources, such as Heimler’s History on YouTube,” Kaiser said. 

For many freshmen, this will be their first time taking an AP exam.

“Being my first AP test, I have mostly listened to tips from my older brother, who took the test his freshman year,” Kaiser said. 

Having taken multiple AP tests before, Hittle is experienced in the process of test-taking.

“After you have one AP test under your belt, you know how it goes, so don’t be nervous and try your best,” Hittle said. 

Testing will begin May 1 and continue through May 12. After taking the exams, students will eagerly await their scores which will be released at the beginning of July.