<p>akittka:
i havent gotten my ap bio scores yet but i used both pr & barrons for ap bio. i also bought cliffs but the info they test is most like everything barrons covers. cliffs is good, but it wasnt exactly enough. pr is little too brief.</p>
<p>ok i think it would be really helpful if people who have taken the exam would comment along with posting their score and any comments:</p>
<p>I bought all books after February.. also I only took the multiple choice part in any review book</p>
<p>American History : 5 I used Amsco and REA REA has awesome practice tests and when solely with that the week before the test (used AMSCO to supplement book for 2 months before)</p>
<p>Chemistry : 5 used Barrons and PR I liked PR better cause it was easier to grasp and understand (already had a firm base in chem so didnt need all of the specifics in Barrons) also PR practice tests are much more in line with the test.</p>
<p>English Language : 5 Bought Cliffs and teacher had 5 steps to 5… didnt really use much thought it was kinda useless seeing as its mostly about performance on the day of the test for the essays and reading comprehension (i think the multiple choice was easy on this test thats why I think I got the five)</p>
<p>Psychology (self-study): 5 Used Barrons and 5 steps to a 5 I read Barrons during spring break and then stayed home and crammed Monday before the test (test was on Tuesday) I went online here and looked at the psych thread going on and then took the practice tests from each book. I liked 5 steps to a 5 much better for cramming due, in large part, to the glossary at the end. Barrons is much more thorough for a longer study and the FRQ part was all Barron.</p>
<p>Human Geography (self-study): 4 (2 day cram after school)Used Barrons was WAY overly simplistic did a good job of showing how to answer if you took the simple questions from Barrons and used them as a model for the harder ones on the test, but, as many have already said, Barrons did fail on the first question on the FRQ I had no idea what was going on. My advice - get REA or Kaplan</p>
<p>Environmental Science (self-study): 4 Used Smartypants and PR read smartypants over spring break then used PR and crammed for 2 days before the test. I took as a late test and thought the FRQ was much harder than the ones in the normal slot so I was basically lulled into a false sense of security. Prep books were spot on especially liked PR, Smartypants is good as well but definitely not if you are a grammar snob</p>
<p>^ that was very helpful. Thanks!</p>
<p>I’ve only taken one AP, but I had a few prep books for it. The best book for AP world history is definitely Barrons. Barrons is divided into the 5 major time periods that are the guidelines for the course, and within each time period it has the major concepts for each region and the world in general.</p>
<p>It not only helped me get a 5 on the AP exam, but also an 800 on the SAT!</p>
<p>7 APs next year.. Here is what I think I should get so far, are there any better books?</p>
<p>Physics C: Barrons
Stats: Barrons
Euro: REA or PR
Lit: Barrons
Comp Sci: Barrons
US Gov (self study): PR
Human Geo (self study): Barrons (I already have this book)</p>
<p>I don’t really like barrons though, from my experience, they over complicate things too much with superfluous information or unnecessarily hard questions. Any recommendations?</p>
<p>i used the REA book for human geo and felt super prepared…it is written in a to-the-point, understandable way…also good study questions (one of the frqs in the rea book was even on the real test!)…i think you could probably even pass the ap geo exam with self study just by using the REA…i also used the cd-version because i could see my instant, predicted grade.</p>
<p>ap english comp
ap physics b
apush (already have amsco)
ap environmental (self study)</p>
<p>which books?!?!?!?</p>
<p>What books for the following:
English Lit
MacroEcon
Bio
Chem
Stat
US Gov
Phys C mech and EandM (self study)</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>Ethel Woods for world history is pretty good too. We used it this year as a review guide for my APWH class and some of the practice exams were pretty on point. Plus it was simple enough to use as a study aid without being overly simplistic. Other review books my teachers showed me had walls of text or not enough. But this one, it was perfect. I wish I would’ve tried Barrons though…if only to study for the Sat Subject. I scored a 620 :(</p>
<p>Any suggestions for both textbooks and prep books for AP US and Comp. Govt.? Apparently they are really obscure AP tests (i’m self-studying). Any CCers knowledgable?</p>
<p>P.S. It would be greatly appreciated if recommendations could be elaborated on and explain why that particular book is good.</p>
<p>Edit: and btw, any thoughts on the 3rd edition of comp. govt. by ethel woods? Is it good in respect to the recent changes on the test?</p>
<p>Hey guys, I don’t know if anyone posted this already, but a high school AP Gov teacher keeps a blog and has a companion website with PDFs for comparative gov. Take a look:</p>
<p>-blog: [apgov.org[/url</a>] (mostly pertains to his class but some interesting tidbits)
-website: <a href=“http://courseweb.hopkins.k12.mn.us/course/view.php?id=434[/url]”>http://courseweb.hopkins.k12.mn.us/course/view.php?id=434](<a href=“http://www.apgov.org/]apgov.org[/url”>http://www.apgov.org/)</a></p>
<p>That seems pretty awesome. I haven’t seen it yet (reading backwards, on page 25) so thanks for sharing!</p>
<p>What do people think of American Govt. By Ethel Woods? Would that be an appropriate textbook for U.S. Govt.? Also, whats the difference between teaching and student editions? Would it be better to get the teaching edition if I am to self-study?</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> American Government: Ethel Wood, Steve Sansone: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0669467987/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0669467987/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance)</p>
<p>Taking the following APs next year:</p>
<p>AP Chemistry - Princeton Review
AP Calculus B/C - Arco/Peterson’s
AP English Language and Composition - CliffsAP
AP Psychology - Barron’s</p>
<p>Possibly some of the following:</p>
<p>AP Microeconomics - Princeton Review
AP Macroeconomics - Princeton Review
AP Statistics - Princeton Review
AP Physics B - Barron’s
AP Physics C: Mechanics - Barron’s</p>
<p>Are the books listed above OK? Or are there better ones out there?</p>
<p>Thanks for the help!</p>
<p>others have recommended Barron’s for Chem too, but apparently it has a lot of superfluous information</p>
<p>AP Comp and US Gov? Textbooks too, not just prep books.</p>
<p>Barron’s Chem has waaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too many little mistakes that confuse you greatly.</p>
<p>what’s good for APES for independent study?</p>
<p>amazon.com says smartypants isn’t good for independent study, or even a good book in general…</p>
<p>ok…I am self studying and have narrowed down to two combonations…smartypants and REA or smartypants and Princeton.</p>
<p>it almost seems that this is the general rule:</p>
<p>social sciences/ humanities: go PR.
hard sciences: barrons</p>