<p>I took AP BIO and AP Euro last year as a sophomore and recieved 3s. AP bio I expected it to be a 3 with a small hope of getting a 4 because of some certain issues involving teacher and class itself but I was sure I was going to get at least a 4 for AP Euro. </p>
<p>In Euro class, I got a lot of good scores in my FRQs and DBQs by my good AP Euro teacher- one of the best in my school-, I’ve gotten a large number of 100%s and many high 90%s (I strive to get 94%s or better) and I knew the stuff really well. I studied for a total of 10 hours few days before the test but I was self-studying before long before that. The only problem was, I didn’t take any prep tests. </p>
<p>This year I’m taking Honors classes and 1 AP class cuz that’s all my school offers. I’m goign to take at least 3-4 AP exams however. With no contempt, I am a smart student with straight As who likes to study-gasp!- and engaged in the academic conversation in my classes. So do you think if I take lots of prep tests along with the self-studying, will I be able to improve my scores from both 3s to mostly 5s and perhaps one 4?</p>
<p>Practice AP tests were one of the most important things for me. I used them almost entirely to self study Human Geo. I also initially received 3’s and even 2’s on some tests even after taking the class (although these were probably inaccurate since I sped through them in 1/3 the time), but I probably would have gotten at least some 4’s without practice AP tests. You need them to get a feel for the kinds of problems, and the length and difficulty of the test.</p>
<p>Practice tests, especially released AP exams, are immensely useful. Practice exams, no matter what the source, should be an integral part of any AP study plan. </p>
<p>AP exams are definitely not a walk in the park if you are not familiar with the format.</p>
<p>First, practice tests help with your timing. </p>
<p>Second, practice tests are the most objective way to assess your knowledge. You may think you know something, but when you can’t answer that question on that practice exam, then you know you have work to do. </p>
<p>Third, practice tests pinpoint trouble spots. Instead of glossing over another 30 pages in your Euro book on the 30 Years War, a question will show you exactly what you don’t understand.</p>
<p>Thanks. I bought Barron’s AP Prep books and am going to study with it. I plan to use the actual practice tests a month or even two months before the AP Exam comes up to be absolutely prepared… well not absolutely but a lot better than I was last year.</p>
<p>I took four AP exams this year and found the prep book tests to be immensely helpful. I bought the Princeton Review books for AP Chem, APUSH, APLAC, and AP Gov. One of the most influential aspects of the prep tests was adjusting my timing so I could finish the entire MC section. Starting a couple weeks before the tests, I would do one or two MC sections with a stopwatch so I could work under time pressure. If I didn’t have time to do the whole thing, I’d at least do half the section and halve the time. This gave me a good idea of where I was at with respect to timing and when I took the exams, I was able to match up the timing that I had prepared during the prep tests. It was very helpful. The key is to stay consistent with speed during the section.</p>