As AP exams quickly approach, teachers have begun to drill their students with information and critical thinking skills to prepare them for the test. However, many students take the extra step and study for hours at home to receive a high score and earn college credit. If you decide to study for an exam, take a look at these tips.
Don’t Cram
While you may be tempted to study for the AP exam two days before the test, a study from UCLA shows that doing so causes you to become counterproductive. Much of the information trying to be shoved into your brain becomes stored in your short-term memory to “speed-memorize” the information rather than understand it. Spacing out small sections of material over a specific period of time has been proven to better prepare you for exams. Over 90% of students who space their material out do and learn better than those who cram for the test.
Engage Yourself with the Material
Engaging yourself with the textbook by highlighting and taking notes helps you retain more information from the book than just reading it. The University of Oregon states “[the] more different ways you present information to the brain the easier it is to learn.” Drawing mind maps or pictures of the information has also been proven to help students recall ideas because people find it easier to remember images rather than just text.
Participate in Study Groups
As the ancient saying goes, “Two heads are better than one.” A study from MIT showed that participating in a study group helps motivate students, expose them to new ideas and help them commit to studying more. With study groups, others can explain concepts you don’t understand, provide you with a support system and will be able to cover more material.
Quiz Yourself with Sample Questions
Know what to expect on the test by practicing with sample questions. By studying with sample questions, you won’t be surprised with the reality of the exam the day you taking it. It will also show you the material you need to work on the most. You can find sample questions on The College Board website and many test-prep books found online or in bookstores.
