As the school year comes to a close, many students are faced with the challenge of AP tests. The tests will be taken at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in early May. Preparing for the tests can be stressful and time consuming, but students have tips and tricks for studying and getting the scores they want.
The fourth quarter can cause stress for students, especially those who are taking AP tests. Testing can be a challenge for students in terms of managing their time between studying for AP tests, doing homework and after school activities.
“I am taking the AP tests for Comparative Government and Politics and Psychology. The tests have not caused me much stress yet, but I am worried about the time it will take me to study in the future,” junior William Marbray shared.
AP tests can be challenging, but they provide students with an option to get a college credit. Students want to make sure that they get a high enough score to make the most out of the opportunity and earn college credit.
“I am going to put a lot of time into studying for my Calculus BC AP exam because I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to earn a college credit for this course,” senior Nico Mannarelli said.
Many AP teachers try their best to help their students prepare for testing and offer them time management tips for studying. Some teachers provide time to review in class to go over areas of difficulty in course content. Many students find review to be helpful because it allows them to hear insights from their classmates as well as their teacher.
“My teachers are helping me prepare by giving me review materials and they will be allowing class time to study and practice closer to the day of the test. I am confident I will be prepared for all my tests, but I am struggling to balance my studying for AP tests with my regular homework,” junior Bengi Nagiel commented.
To cut down on the stress, some students have developed techniques for preparing for these tests.
“I’m not worried about my AP tests because I am confident in my study plan. Many of my friends are taking the same tests as me, so we are planning on studying together a few times before the tests. We have used this method before and it helped me to do well and understand the material better,” junior Jack Coughlin said.
Certain studying methods work better for different students, so it is important that students find what works for them. Students will have to wait until July when scores are released for their results to see if their hard work paid off.