studying

Check Out AP Study Resources

Brooke1 Comment

Welcome back everyone!

I recently made a website called AP Study Resources with links to videos, study guides, notes, and any other helpful resources I’ve come across that will help you excel in your APs next year! If you’re interested in learning more, keep on reading and check out the site here.

I had the idea to make the website because while searching for extra resources to study for my AP European History and AP Psychology tests this year, it was hard to find everything I needed in one spot. There’s so many amazing free resources on the Internet, but it can be difficult to find them and keep track of them. I decided to get started on making a hub for all of them, and that was that.

I currently only have dedicated pages to the APs I’ve taken (AP Human Geography, AP European History, and AP Psychology) but I have been digging for resources for other classes and more classes will definitely be added to the website soon; it’s in my best interest too, as I will be taking 5 APs next year! The website is currently a rough outline of what I want it to be, but I wanted to get the word out on this blog so you guys are aware of it for next school year and can bookmark it or scan it now.

If you’re interested and end up checking out the site, please let me know what you think and what additional classes you’d like me to add first! I’ll probably do the 5 that I’m taking, and any requested/most common ones next. I hope this can help out some of you guys next year and/or in years to come.

Make sure to check out the website here. I haven’t bought the domain or anything yet since it’s just a side project, but I might in the future if it ends up being helpful to a lot of people just so I can get the word out easier. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

How I’m Studying for the AP Euro and AP Psych Tests

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

It’s AP season, and with the new test format I feel like everyone is more frantic than ever. I’ve just gotten into my crazy study mode and studying is going to be taking over a lot of my time for the next few weeks, so I figured I would share what I’m doing. I made a post like this not too long ago, but my plans have been modified due to the new test format, identifying my strengths and weaknesses, and the fact that I’m a little late to the game for studying AP Psych since I took the course online months ago and need more review. If you’re interested in learning about my study plan, keep on reading!

AP European History

  • My teacher has been posting review videos each week hitting on some main points and questions that people have been emailing him, so I’m watching all of them and taking organized notes on a Google Doc. I’ve also been reading my notes weekly to see if I have any questions to email my teacher for him to address in these videos.
  • I’m using my review book I bought at the beginning of the school year (The Princeton Review Cracking the AP European History Test), only the review chapters though. I’ve been doing the chapter drills and the multiple choice sections of practice tests as a way to judge my comprehension, but I haven’t done any of the writing practice from the book since there’s no point- even the DBQs are a different format.
  • My teacher modified old AP test DBQ prompts to only have five documents and made up a couple of his own, so I’ve done two of those practices so far and plan to try and do a practice for each of the prompts he’s posted.
  • I’ve watched every College Board YouTube review and taken notes on each one. I haven’t done the guided practice except for the full DBQs, since that’s the only thing actually being tested.

What I’m not doing:

  • AP Classroom assignments. I did a couple at first, but my teacher doesn’t assign them/suggest we do them and none of them are the same as what the format of the test will be (even the DBQs are 7+ documents!) so I don’t think it’s an effective use of my time.
  • Reading my textbook. Although I would do this for each unit test in the class, my notes are already a more effective summary for review at this point.

AP Psychology

  • I’m reading through my review book I got at the beginning of the year (The Princeton Review Cracking the AP Psychology Test) and doing the chapter drills as well as all practice test material! The FRQs are the same format as what will be on the test, and the multiple choice is good to gauge my comprehension since I’m very rusty.
  • I’m watching all the College Board YouTube reviews and taking dedicated notes on each. I’m actually doing most, if not all, of the guided practice for these since I think I could use any review I could get.
  • I’m studying my Barrons AP Psychology flash cards I got at the beginning of the year. I’m also using the “Key Terms” list at the end of each chapter in the Princeton Review book and making my own Quizlets to really hammer in the terms.
  • I’m going through the bank of old FRQs on the College Board’s website and practicing as many as I can.
  • Making a content outline for test day with main concepts/people/vocab, etc. since I don’t have solid notes from the course to use on the exam.

What I’m not doing:

  • I don’t have access to AP Classroom for Psych since I took the course online and I’m signed up under “test-only” through my actual school, so I’m not using it for this class either!
  • Using a textbook- I never had one for the class since I took it online, and at this point my review book is much more helpful anyways.
  • Using most/all of the resources from when I actually took the course. This is what’s making studying for this test so stressful for me- when I took the course online, we focused a lot more on multiple choice and simple vocabulary/concept mastery, so I don’t really have anything to go off of for FRQs.

I hope this helps anyone out studying for AP tests, especially if you’re in these specific AP classes. I wish you all the best in your studying, so good luck and get grinding! We’re all in this together, and hopefully testing goes smoothly even with all the changes.

Brooke

How to Succeed in an AP History Class

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

If you’ve been struggling in an AP history class this year or are currently deciding whether to take one in your class schedule next year, you’ve come to the right place! I’m going to be providing a few tips that have helped me get through AP European History this year and AP Human Geography (I know it’s not really a core AP history class, but it fits more into the history category than anything else) last year. Each AP class is a different level of difficulty at every school, but at may school the history APs are definitely some of the hardest/most complained about, so keep that in mind and keep on reading if you want to hear my tips!

  • Understanding the writing format is key. My AP Human Geography teacher was super clear with us on how to write an FRQ from the get-go, and we did two as a part of every unit test. In AP Euro, writing has been a lot less clear; we didn’t fully go over LEQs, DBQs, and SAQs until the start of second semester. Practice using old AP test questions found on the College Board website, and study the rubrics. It’s easier if you do this towards the beginning of the year, but it’s possible to cram and sort of fake your way through as long as you know the actual historical information.
  • Do the reading. Depending on the way your class is structured, this may be less useful, but for me it’s a great way to refresh on the information. You have a textbook for a reason, and it’s also helpful in cramming for the AP test if you want a slightly more in-depth review of everything.
  • Get a prep book at the beginning of the year. If you’re ever confused on a certain historical event or concept, or you’re just unsure how well-versed you need to be in it for the AP test, you can always refer to a prep book to explain it in simpler terms/a condensed format. I’m partial to The Princeton Review books because I love that they include practice tests, but I’ve heard the AMSCO prep books are really good for the history APs- my Euro teacher has a set and I’ve looked over them from time to time.
  • Take detailed notes, and revise them later. This is another thing that’s helped me a lot. My Euro teacher has structured the class so our main way of learning is his lectures where we take notes- I try to write down basically every fact or detail he says, but then I make my own typed notes for each unit as a study guide for the test, only including key events and people with a timeline. In the end, you have a neat version of your notes, and you’ve already reviewed the information.
  • Use your resources! This is key for any AP class, but I think there’s often a lot more resources and opportunities for the history classes. Watch Crash Course videos on YouTube/any review videos, find Quizlets that review key terms, and ask older friends how they succeeded in your particular class, since every teacher/class is slightly different. For example, my teacher offers 5 points of extra credit each unit if we make flashcards for around 50 key terms from the unit- it’s a ton of work, but I do it since the extra credit builds up and it’s another way to study.
  • Make the connections. As I’ve learned, pretty much every concept and event can be connected to others, especially because of the cause and effect relationships that occur in history. Remember that you can’t forget the earlier dates/events, but try to break things up into more general/larger categories and the major things to make it more manageable.
  • Practice, practice, practice! I mentioned this in my How To Get a 5 On AP Human Geography post (go check it out if you haven’t!), but it’s honestly the best way to do well. Even if you haven’t been doing well in the class at school, you can still turn things around and do well on the AP test if you put the work in. For me, practice tests were the most helpful.

I hope these tips help you finish the semester strong in whatever history class you’re in, and do well on the corresponding AP test! History is one of my favorite subjects, but I’ve definitely still had my struggles with keeping up with the workload of AP Euro this year. Let me know what history class you’re currently in, and what history you’ll be taking next year (APUSH for me :))!

Brooke

5 Steps to Succeed in Finals Week

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

I know finals week is coming up for everyone either this week (hopefully this post isn’t too late) or next week, so this post is going to be a short and sweet one for you guys to read and get on your way studying. My school does finals in January after winter break, but these couple weeks of December are so packed with work and tests that it’s basically pre-finals. Either way, this a busy time for pretty much everyone, and the stress can negatively impact the most put-together of students. Today I have five tips for success in finals week, hopefully with the least amount of stress possible.

  1. Pace yourself – Ideally, your finals will be spread out throughout the week (my school does block schedule so we only have two classes a day). If this is the case, place most of your focus on whatever’s coming up first. The only exception would be if there’s one class you’re really struggling in or need to bring your grade up in- then you should put that final first no matter what, and spend the most time on studying for it. Other than that, take it one final at a time and study accordingly. It minimizes a ton of stress if you’re only thinking about one big test, rather than anywhere from four to six.
  2. If your teacher doesn’t give you a study guide, make one – I find this is one of the best ways to study if you’re not sure what to do and you don’t want to passively look over your notes. Some teachers give study guides, which is excellent because it’s straightforward to study for those finals- you just complete the study in detail, then go over it and quiz yourself/have other people quiz you. However, if your teacher doesn’t provide one, you should definitely still make your own! Go through all the units and write down key concepts and their definitions/explanations, and do tons of practice problems for math and science subjects.
  3. Have a balance of studying alone and group studying – Studying alone shut up in your house will drive you stir-crazy and you may lose focus, but sometimes studying in a group can get you off-topic. The answer? A balance of both: review the material on your own and make your study guide so you’re familiar with the basis of everything, then go study in a group and quiz each other, asking questions about things you’re confused on.
  4. Focus on school – Finals week is only one week, and it’s super important for your grades. Therefore, it should take priority over other things like extracurriculars for the week. Obviously honor any important commitments like work or sports practice, but it’s fine to let other things slide for a few days.
  5. Go see your teachers for extra help – This is a good idea for two reasons. One, if you need the help, it’s so important to ask for it. Your teachers should be happy to clear up any confusion you have and go through some review with you if you come in with specific questions. Two, they’ll often give you some insight and subtle hint as to what will be on the final. Whenever I’ve gone in to ask a teacher for help, he or she will point out what I really need to know.

Good luck on your finals everyone! Remember there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and this will all be over in a flash. I have faith all of you will do great, especially if you utilize these tips.

-Brooke