By Sara Karbowski
AP Exams season is right around the corner! Prepping for them along with homework and other extracurricular activities might be stressful and time-consuming. So here are some resources to help you efficiently and effectively prepare for them.
First, make sure you have a study plan that fits you. Cramming before an exam is mentally draining and studying little by little will help you process information more easily. It doesn’t have to be detailed, just an outline of when and what to study to make sure that you have enough time to study/review all concepts. Personally, studying different subjects every day prevents boredom. Remember, procrastination is not your friend!
Review books are one of the best ways to study for AP exams. Especially for subjects like math, the more problems you solve, the better. Hopping by a bookstore and choosing one that you think is the best for you is the best way to choose a book. In general, Princeton Review books are easier to read and have the basic concepts that give you a general overview, while Barron’s books are harder to read but have advanced concepts that help you obtain extra knowledge for the exam. They both have pros and cons so make sure to check reviews and rankings before buying one. AP Classroom also provides videos that review concepts and practice tests based on each unit so make sure to check it out!
When you don’t understand specific concepts, watching YouTube might help. There are so many teachers out there posting AP content videos to help!
Here are some recommended channels:
AP World Languages and Cultures:
- AP Chinese Language and Culture: Mr. Qiu’s Chinese Class
- AP French Language and Culture: Monsieur Valois
- AP German Language and Culture: Helena Shirai
- AP Italian Language and Culture: Fondazione Italia
- AP Japanese Language and Culture: Advanced Placement
- AP Latin: Advanced Placement
- AP Spanish Language and Culture: Señor Jordan
- AP Spanish Literature and Culture: Señor Jordan
AP Sciences:
- AP Biology: Bozeman Science
- AP Chemistry: The Organic Chemistry Teacher
- AP Environmental Science: Jordan Dischinger-Smedes
- AP Physics 2: AP Classroom and AP Daily
- AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based: The Organic Chemistry Teacher
- AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based: The Organic Chemistry Teacher
- AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: Flipping Physics
- AP Physics C: Mechanics: We are Snowboat
AP Math and Computer Science:
- AP Calculus AB/BC: Khan Academy
- AP Computer Science A: Popfizz Computer Science
- AP Computer Science Principles: Albert.io
- AP Statistics: Fiveable
AP History and Social Studies:
- AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: Flipping Physics
- AP Physics C: Mechanics: We are Snowboat
- AP Comparative Government and Politics: Global Chat with Mr. Tesch
- AP European History: Heimler’s History
- AP Human Geography: Mr. Sinn
- AP Macro/Microeconomics: Jacob Clifford
- AP Psychology: Mr. Sinn
- AP United States Government and Politics: Timothy Rodman
- AP United States History: Heimler’s History
- AP World History: Heimler’s History
AP English:
- AP Language and Composition: Ms. Peer Editor
- AP Literature and Composition: Macro Learning
AP Arts:
- Ap Art History: Mrs. McConnell’s AP Art History, JDCHS
- AP Music History: Lennon Ashton
Asking your teacher is also a great way to get an on-point answer.
Studying for AP Exams can be a demanding process. But there are infinite ways to study for them so tinker around and have fun with it! Make sure that it suits your pace and taste. I assure you that hard work always pays off. You got this, good luck!
References:
https://thebirdfeed.org/3382/features/using-youtube-as-a-study-tool-for-ap-exams/
https://testprepinsight.com/comparisons/barrons-vs-princeton-review/