Exam Week Preparation + Study Tips
Exams are right around the corner, folks! I live in a county where we don’t have final exams but Advanced Placement (college classes that are taken in high school) exams will be here in just a few short weeks.
Unfortunately, studying is no fun but the reward of a good grade and getting college credit while still in high school is well worth your time and energy. As a sophomore in high school, I took the AP Government exam and this year I will be taking AP Language, AP World History, and AP Art History.
With three exams, I’ve got a whole lot of studying on my hands and chances are that you’re in a similar boat too… don’t worry I’ve got you covered with all my best tips and tricks to ace your exams + keep your brain organized throughout this crazy time.
- The first thing I would recommend doing is creating a game plan. I did this last year to help keep me on track with studying while not falling behind in the rest of my classes. I set out a one month calendar that had all of my extracurricular events and activities penciled in. This way I could easily see what my schedule looked like and the amount of time I had each night to study. From there I would space out my time, I aimed for about 7 hours of studying each week for three weeks leading up to the exam. This gave me tons of time to review the material and was so beneficial in the end.
- After you make a long-term study map, make a weekly one! If I knew I wanted to have eight hours of study time each week I would write down that two hours was needed on Monday because Tuesday I could only study for half an hour due to my schedule. I would also plan out hours that could be studied in the library at school or with someone else.
- Studying with someone is so important. I recommend grabbing a buddy during lunch or on the weekend. It’s important to be with someone because speaking the information allows you to retain information better and helps gauge what information you actually know when verbally asked a question rather than writing it down.
- The Princeton Review book was my lifesaver for last years exam. I was constantly reading it, annotating the material to learn previous chapters, and taking the practice quizzes. I am positive that this was a contributing factor to me passing my AP Gov exam.
- Reviewing by unit was super helpful for me. When I split up study time from week to week I also split up the units, knowing that I needed to get 1&2 done during the first week, 3&4 during the second throughout the next, etc. By the end of the week, I would have a much better understanding of those units and was able to better establish questions for my teacher that could easily be answered due to this organization.
- I went through tons of old quizzes, tests, and essay asking family and friends to re-ask me the questions so I could regurgitate the answers. Not only would I do this, but I would rewrite questions and answers. I find personally that the more I write the information the better I understand.
- Flashcards are so crucial for my AP Art History class. Whenever you can use this classic study tip, do it! If you’re looking for a portable, quicker option- make electronic flashcards on Quizlet. I use Quizlet all the time for simple vocabulary + they have matching games that make learning the material super easy.
- My planner is my absolute lifesaver during this busy time of year. Make sure you are writing down all the information that needs to be remembered and by what day along with the assignments for the rest of your classes. This will keep you on track + will ensure that you are not falling behind in the classes that you aren’t hardcore grinding for at the moment.
- There’s a man named Adam Norris on YouTube whose videos I swear by. He is mostly history and does an incredible job explaining the AP curriculum while providing examples that will without a doubt be beneficial when writing those essays! I know many people like watching Crash Course videos at my school too, so that is always another option!
- My last tip would be to simply relax. As stressful as exams can be, being stressed when studying is the worst. I find that it makes it harder for me to remember information and makes me even more confused! Make sure you’re staying hydrated, sane, and on track!
Well, those are all the tips I have to offer for exam studying! I would love to stay and chat some more but I am overdue for today’s studying. How do you stay organized physically and mentally when studying for exams?! I want to know below along with any other questions, comments, or requests you may have for me. Best of luck with your final exams and tests, everyone! With love, McKenz
Latest Post: April 2018 Pinterest Outfit Recreations
Related Post: The Pre-Prom Preparation Checklist
Instagram: styledbymckenz // YouTube: McKenzie Morgan // Pinterest: mckenzmorgan
