NobodyButHector

So, being the night owl that I am, I'm here at 3:30 in the morning buying AP World History review books, and I was wondering if I made the right choices.
A couple of the usual ones caught my eye - the new Princeton review 2013, Kapplan, Barron, etc. I decided to buy two of them because one was a study book and one was a crash course book. I ended up buying:
-Cracking the AP World History Exam, 2013 Edition (College Test Preparation) [Paperback]
Princeton Review .
and: - AP World History Crash Course (Advanced Placement (AP) Crash Course) [Paperback]
Jay P. Harmon (Author).
Was this a smart idea for someone trying to get a good grade/a 5 in AP World next year?

tedders83

YES it was a very smart idea! There are people who self study for the exams and simply buy one of those books, read it thoroughly, and take the test.

Also they will be great for studying for the tests you will get in class. One of the things I wish I had done was buy my review books before the year started (I bought them a month before the exam) because they contain so much information! The crash course should be especially helpful when you're reviewing a few days before the exam.

For most AP students, those books are extremely helpful and any study guides the teacher hands out are tossed in the trash when it comes time to study for the actual AP test.

Leo2400

Yeah I used Princeton's AP World History book, and I would definitely recommend it! It helped me get a 5 on the AP test as well as a 790 on the subject test, and it is very interesting and helps you remember things.

StudiousMaximus

I support Leo's recommendation. I used PR to cram before the test (this year) and had no trouble.

semaphore12

I used Barron's all the way and got an easy 5.

sharker

I personally used Barron's which was helpful for both the exam and the class. But I also used PR as well for a quick review. I would say use Barron's if you have a lot of time. It over prepares you but at least you'll feel confident. If read well, as long as you don't screw up the essays, you'll guarantee yourself a 4 or 5. PR is a little easier to read and is good a month or two before the exam. You should know your stuff but PR doesn't go quite as in depth as Barron's. Both are pretty good books though but they cater to different types of students. Smart move not getting 5 steps. I used this one in class and felt it was wayy too general.

NobodyButHector

sharker: I seen the five steps one, it definately looked too general. I tried Barrons last year for AP Human Geography , and I didn't like it. I don't know why but I didn't and I refused to use it.