AP exams are tough—they’re supposed to be. These 3-hour long tests cover an entire year’s worth of material, so there’s a lot to review. If you’re planning to wait until a couple of weeks before the AP exams to start studying, we’ve got bad news for you: AP exam prep is a marathon, not a sprint.
Fun fact: the marathon commemorates a moment in Greek history. The soldier Pheidippides ran 25 miles from a battlefield near the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C.E., carrying news of victory. Upon arrival, he shouted, “Victory!” and then promptly dropped dead.
Clearly, Pheidippides had not trained for his marathon.
Regardless of whether you prepare for the marathon of AP exams, you (probably) won’t keel over post-test. Still, wouldn’t it be better to finish your exams with a sense of confidence rather than doom?
Approach AP exam prep like marathon training.
Any runner will tell you that proper marathon training takes anywhere from 2 to 5 months. If you try to get ready for a 26.2-mile-long race in just a couple of weeks, you might not wind up like Pheidippides (you know…dead), but you might just wish you had.
AP exam prep is no different—you need 2 to 5 months to properly prepare.
We always recommend that students start AP exam prep by March at the latest. To succeed on AP exams, you need to really know your stuff—and to really know your stuff, you’ve got to study it repeatedly over a long period of time.
Break each exam down and create a to-do list.
The first thing you’ll need to do is to figure out what you need to study.
Start by creating a list of topics you’ll see on each of your AP exams. The College Board’s AP Central includes course descriptions that outline all of the topics that could show up on the exam. Most AP prep books also feature a good topic breakdown.
Decide how much attention you need to devote to each topic. How well do you understand it? How did you do in class when you covered that topic? Has your teacher (or tutor or exam prep book) mentioned this as a topic that often features heavily on the AP exam?
Once you know how many topics you need to study and, of those, how many you’ll need to spend a lot of time on, you’re ready for the next step.
Create a realistic study schedule.
Between homework and studying, extracurricular activities, and some semblance of a social life, it can be hard to fit AP exam prep into your schedule. As you create your AP exam study plan, be realistic. Nothing undermines a good study plan like falling behind immediately because of unreasonable expectations.
Try to schedule small bursts of AP exam prep. Even 20-minute blocks of studying will help, as long as they’re scheduled frequently and regularly. In fact, one of the most efficient ways of studying is to focus intensely in short bursts, taking breaks in between. Known as the Pomodoro Technique, this study schedule helps you make the most out of every minute of hard work.
Get real practice.
Practice makes perfect!
Testing (or, in learning science parlance, “retrieval practice”) is a great way to study because it forces your brain to practice recalling important pieces of information.
Not only do you better learn the material, but you also gain important test strategies. Practice tests make the AP exams more familiar. When you know what to expect, you’re less likely to fall prey to testing anxiety on the big day.
Try to time your practice tests. Half the battle is beating the clock, so if you get used to the time limits and pacing of the AP exam, you’ll be more successful on test day.
Invest in a good AP exam prep book.
A good AP exam prep book gives you a quick overview of all of the biggest topics on the exam and provides plenty of AP exam practice through individual questions and full-length exams.
To pick the right book for you, look at the balance between topic overviews and practice. Some publishers provide detailed explanations, which might be more helpful in subjects you struggle with; others emphasize practice and provide skimpier explanations, which will serve you well if you already have a good grasp of the subject and need extra practice to excel.
PRO TIP: Some publishers splash words like “fully updated” across the cover without actually updating the material inside to match the latest changes to AP exams. Make sure you know the exam format so that you can get a book that really reflects the test. When in doubt, ask your AP teacher or tutor.
Do some intensive review in the weeks before the exam – but DO NOT CRAM.
Slow and steady wins the race, so study early and often. In the final weeks before the exams, your teachers will likely provide an intensive review of the topics most likely to appear on the exam. Supplement this with additional daily study sessions in which you review one big topic each day.
There’s a big difference between this kind of intensive, last-minute review and cramming. You should carefully and purposefully review the most important topics. You should not try to learn everything anew two weeks before the test.
For more great AP study tips, check out 5 AP Exam Tips for a 5.
Why You Need a Good College Counselor
COLLEGE ADMISSIONSA lot of families figure they’ve got this college admissions thing down. After all, your parents probably went through the application process, so they know what to do. Besides, your school has plenty of counselors on staff – they’ll help, right?
In truth, most students can benefit from a good college counselor outside of school. Most public schools just aren’t very well-equipped to provide personalized college admissions counseling: On average, each public school counselor is in charge of almost 500 students, and only about 1 in 4 public schools employ counselors dedicated solely to college admissions support. As a result, most schools offer the bare minimum of college counseling.
Truly personalized college counseling can help you in a million different ways. A dedicated college counselor can help you:
The college admissions process is no walk in the park – make sure you have the support you need every step of the way. Contact your local 宝博体育 Education center today to schedule a free college admissions advising session to plan a year-by-year strategic path to college.
宝博体育 Education Yonkers now serving the community
CENTERS宝博体育 Education Yonkers is now open! Our newest center in Yonkers, NY, is now open and ready to provide students with the expert help they need to succeed! For over 20 years, we’ve been working with students on their journey towards attending the school of their dreams. We’re bringing our test prep, tutoring, and college admissions counseling services to Yonkers to produce the great results tens of thousands of our students see across the country.
宝博体育 Yonkers Stands Out from the Rest
What sets 宝博体育 Education apart from other tutoring centers? You’ll be impressed.
Start Today with 宝博体育
At 宝博体育 Education, we offer K-12 tutoring programs; test prep for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP exams; and college counseling services. We’re here to help get you into the school of your dreams. Our expert tutors are ready to create a custom study plan for you, so stop by 宝博体育 Education of Yonkers on Central Park Ave. today, or call us.
On the Bright Side: My Overloaded After School Schedule
ON THE BRIGHT SIDEThe list of things that colleges look for in applicants can be overwhelming. Top grades, hard classes, top test scores – all of these things take time! Not to mention a busy after school schedule with a variety of extracurricular activities.
Every one of these items requires hours of effort after a long day at school, which is why good time management strategies are a must for any college-bound student. Keep reading for tips to help you manage your time and take control of your schedule.
Well thought out to do lists can be your greatest time management tool. Get the most out of your to do lists with these strategies:
Make Every Moment Count
Successful time management means avoiding wasted time, so make every minute count. Always keep a test book, your computer, or some flashcards with you so that you can make the most of your down time. If you find yourself with ten or fifteen minutes to kill, study some bio terms or read part of a textbook chapter. These little study sessions add up!
PRO TIP: Download a flashcard app like Quizlet to your phone so that you always have your study tools with you.
Time management for high school students requires careful planning. When you have to fit a dozen priorities into just a few waking hours, you have to put yourself on a pretty tight schedule. These scheduling tips can help:
Remove Distractions
Successful time management means that your study time has to really count. If you find that it takes you twice as long to finish your homework or complete a study session than you originally thought it would, monitor how you actually spend your time. Was your hour-long study session actually spent studying, or did it include snack breaks, responding to texts, checking Instagram, and Googling the lead character in that show everyone is talking about? Set yourself up for distraction-free study sessions with these tips:
Sometimes you just have to say “no.” If your debate partner wants to get together to work on your case but you’ve got three tests to study for, it’s okay to say no. If your best friend wants to hang out but you’re exhausted, it’s okay to take a nap instead. Good time management is about priorities, and setting priorities means that you just have to let some things go. (Cue Elsa here.)
宝博体育 Pleasant Hill is now open and ready to serve!
CENTERS宝博体育 Education’s newest center in Pleasant Hill, CA, is now open and ready to provide students with the expert help they need to succeed! For over 20 years, we’ve been working with students on their journey towards attending the school of their dreams. We’re bringing our test prep, tutoring, and college admissions counseling services to Pleasant Hill to produce the great results tens of thousands of our students see across the country.
宝博体育 Pleasant Hill Stands Out from the Rest
What sets 宝博体育 Education apart from other tutoring centers? You’ll be impressed.
Start Today with 宝博体育
At 宝博体育 Education, we offer K-12 tutoring programs; test prep for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP exams; and college counseling services. We’re here to help get you into the school of your dreams. Our expert tutors are ready to create a custom study plan for you, so stop by 宝博体育 Education of Pleasant Hill on Crescent Blvd. today, or call us.
AP Courses: The Pros and Cons
MISCELLANEOUSAs you get ready to register for your fall classes, you’re probably wondering about AP classes.
“Should I take AP classes?”
“How many should you take?”
Before you enroll in a full load of AP classes, take some time to carefully consider the pros and cons.
AP courses offer great benefits
Challenges when considering AP classes
Sounds great, right? Now that you’re sold on AP classes, let’s look at the other side of the coin:
When registering for your classes, make sure you keep both the good and the bad in mind. It’s almost always a good idea for a strong student to enroll in a few AP classes, but it’s important for you to know your limits. Enrolling in so many AP classes that your grades tank is just as bad as not enrolling in any at all!
If you need any AP support, whether you’re figuring out which classes are the best for you to take or you’re struggling with your current AP workload, 宝博体育 can help.
AP Exam Prep: A Marathon, Not a Sprint
TEST PREPAP exams are tough—they’re supposed to be. These 3-hour long tests cover an entire year’s worth of material, so there’s a lot to review. If you’re planning to wait until a couple of weeks before the AP exams to start studying, we’ve got bad news for you: AP exam prep is a marathon, not a sprint.
Fun fact: the marathon commemorates a moment in Greek history. The soldier Pheidippides ran 25 miles from a battlefield near the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C.E., carrying news of victory. Upon arrival, he shouted, “Victory!” and then promptly dropped dead.
Clearly, Pheidippides had not trained for his marathon.
Regardless of whether you prepare for the marathon of AP exams, you (probably) won’t keel over post-test. Still, wouldn’t it be better to finish your exams with a sense of confidence rather than doom?
Approach AP exam prep like marathon training.
Any runner will tell you that proper marathon training takes anywhere from 2 to 5 months. If you try to get ready for a 26.2-mile-long race in just a couple of weeks, you might not wind up like Pheidippides (you know…dead), but you might just wish you had.
AP exam prep is no different—you need 2 to 5 months to properly prepare.
We always recommend that students start AP exam prep by March at the latest. To succeed on AP exams, you need to really know your stuff—and to really know your stuff, you’ve got to study it repeatedly over a long period of time.
Break each exam down and create a to-do list.
The first thing you’ll need to do is to figure out what you need to study.
Start by creating a list of topics you’ll see on each of your AP exams. The College Board’s AP Central includes course descriptions that outline all of the topics that could show up on the exam. Most AP prep books also feature a good topic breakdown.
Decide how much attention you need to devote to each topic. How well do you understand it? How did you do in class when you covered that topic? Has your teacher (or tutor or exam prep book) mentioned this as a topic that often features heavily on the AP exam?
Once you know how many topics you need to study and, of those, how many you’ll need to spend a lot of time on, you’re ready for the next step.
Create a realistic study schedule.
Between homework and studying, extracurricular activities, and some semblance of a social life, it can be hard to fit AP exam prep into your schedule. As you create your AP exam study plan, be realistic. Nothing undermines a good study plan like falling behind immediately because of unreasonable expectations.
Try to schedule small bursts of AP exam prep. Even 20-minute blocks of studying will help, as long as they’re scheduled frequently and regularly. In fact, one of the most efficient ways of studying is to focus intensely in short bursts, taking breaks in between. Known as the Pomodoro Technique, this study schedule helps you make the most out of every minute of hard work.
Get real practice.
Practice makes perfect!
Testing (or, in learning science parlance, “retrieval practice”) is a great way to study because it forces your brain to practice recalling important pieces of information.
Not only do you better learn the material, but you also gain important test strategies. Practice tests make the AP exams more familiar. When you know what to expect, you’re less likely to fall prey to testing anxiety on the big day.
Try to time your practice tests. Half the battle is beating the clock, so if you get used to the time limits and pacing of the AP exam, you’ll be more successful on test day.
Invest in a good AP exam prep book.
A good AP exam prep book gives you a quick overview of all of the biggest topics on the exam and provides plenty of AP exam practice through individual questions and full-length exams.
To pick the right book for you, look at the balance between topic overviews and practice. Some publishers provide detailed explanations, which might be more helpful in subjects you struggle with; others emphasize practice and provide skimpier explanations, which will serve you well if you already have a good grasp of the subject and need extra practice to excel.
PRO TIP: Some publishers splash words like “fully updated” across the cover without actually updating the material inside to match the latest changes to AP exams. Make sure you know the exam format so that you can get a book that really reflects the test. When in doubt, ask your AP teacher or tutor.
Do some intensive review in the weeks before the exam – but DO NOT CRAM.
Slow and steady wins the race, so study early and often. In the final weeks before the exams, your teachers will likely provide an intensive review of the topics most likely to appear on the exam. Supplement this with additional daily study sessions in which you review one big topic each day.
There’s a big difference between this kind of intensive, last-minute review and cramming. You should carefully and purposefully review the most important topics. You should not try to learn everything anew two weeks before the test.
For more great AP study tips, check out 5 AP Exam Tips for a 5.
On the Bright Side: My Math Skills Need Help
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE“I suck at math.”
“Math just isn’t my thing.”
“I just can’t do math.”
So many people seem to think that being good at math is some sort of innate skill – you’ve got it or you don’t. We don’t usually think of other subjects this way – if someone says they’re just bad at reading, we worry and recommend phonics programs to help. So why don’t we have the same immediate response when someone says they’re just bad at math?
The idea that being good at math is just some natural trait is a myth, and a pretty dangerous one at that. After all, if you tell yourself, “My math skills suck,” and you just suck at math and can’t do better, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: You believe you won’t get better at math, so you won’t get better at math.
This idea that math skills are something you’re born with is a lot like the idea that intelligence is something you’re born with – which is also wrong. Sure, there is a genetic component to intelligence, but regardless of genetics, a student who works hard, who puts in the effort of studying and seeking help when needed, is almost always going to succeed.
It’s probably easiest to identify math as the impossible subject because of the way it builds on itself. All it takes is one bad year – one year where you don’t understand what on earth the teacher is trying to tell you – to make you fall behind. After all, if you don’t fully master arithmetic, pre-algebra seems impossible; if you don’t completely understand the basics of pre-algebra, you’ll only get about half of the concepts in algebra. The cycle continues until it can seem impossible to overcome – and suddenly, you’re just bad at math.
But you’re not!
The further behind you fall, the harder it is to come back – but getting better at math is only impossible if you believe it’s impossible. Here are some tips to help build those atrophied math skills:
Don’t just memorize formulae – make sure you understand them
A lot of students focus on memorizing a formula just so that they can get to the right answer. The problem is that this method doesn’t help you to figure out why the formula works so that you can apply the formula in different situations – which you’ll almost certainly have to do on tests like the SAT or ACT and in future higher level math classes.
If you can’t wrap your head around the why of a concept, don’t ever hesitate to ask for help! Your teachers are there to help you to not just get a good grade but to really understand math. If you think you need more extra help than your teacher can reasonably offer, ask a classmate who really seems to get the concept or seek help from a tutor.
Go back to basics
If you think that part of your trouble is with concepts from prior math classes, go back to basics! You can’t fix your current math problems without shoring up the gaps in knowledge that caused them to begin with.
Think of math like a log cabin. You build a sturdy and level foundation so that you can layer logs on top of it one by one. If the foundation or any future layer of logs is off, the entire cabin is going to be messed up.
Your math teacher should be your first resource because he or she will be able to help you pinpoint the concepts that might be causing your difficulties. Once you know where to start, there are tons of online resources like Khan Academy that offer a great place to start rebuilding that foundation. If self-study doesn’t seem to be helping, don’t get frustrated! You just haven’t found the right way for the concept to click. A great math tutor will help you figure out exactly how to make everything fall into place – they live for those “aha!” moments.
Don’t stop with the assigned problems
A lot of math teachers will assign specific sets of problems from your textbook for class or homework assignments. Don’t stop there – do additional practice problems. Only by practicing a given concept over and over will you truly master the how and why of it. If your teacher is overzealous and assigns everything from the book, seek out extra practice online or ask your teacher for extra practice problems from another source.
Take it in steps
Writing down every step of your problem solving is not some sort of easy way out. A lot students immediately try to solve a problem in their heads, somehow thinking that being able to do the mental math is better than having to actually write everything out. Not true! Writing out each step of your problem solving not only helps to ensure that you get to the right answer but also helps you to better understand the process of solving the problem.
I need help with my math skills!
The best way to stymie your efforts is to keep banging your head against a wall until you get so frustrated that you just give up. Don’t feel that you have to go it alone. If you need help, ask for it. Your teachers are there to help you, your school very likely provides extra resources after school, most libraries and schools offer peer tutoring programs. You can also get expert math tutoring with 宝博体育 Education. We’re always here to help!
Paying for College: You Got In. Now to Pay for It.
COLLEGE ADMISSIONSMost students don’t give much thought to what happens after they get those coveted acceptance letters. If you’re at the beginning of the college applications, don’t miss our webinar on the college admissions process. Remember, there are still many important steps to take before actually enrolling in the college of your dreams. Getting in is half the battle – figuring out how you’re paying for college is the next step.
Complete all financial aid forms
Your first step is to complete all financial aid forms required or recommended by your school.
FAFSA
Every student should complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – even those who don’t think they’ll actually qualify for student aid. First, a lot of colleges use FAFSA information to calculate school-based aid; second, each year, students who didn’t complete the FAFSA leave billions of dollars of federal aid on the table, often because they mistakenly thought they wouldn’t qualify. The worst thing that can happen if you fill out the FAFSA and don’t qualify for aid is that you may have wasted a little time completing the form. It’s a pretty tiny risk to take to try to get some extra aid for college.
CSS PROFILE
The next most common financial aid form is the CSS PROFILE, which is used by a lot of private colleges and by a handful of public schools. This form offers colleges a somewhat more nuanced view of a family’s financial situation than does the FAFSA, which is why many colleges require both forms. The CSS PROFILE is commonly used to determine school-based aid. Unlike the FAFSA, there is an application fee, but the fee pales in comparison to the potential financial awards that students could earn in school-based aid.
Other Forms
Some schools and states have their own specific required forms. If you’re at all unclear on which forms your school requires, don’t hesitate to contact the financial aid office and ask!
Compare financial aid packages
Even if you got into your dream college, it’s a good idea to compare financial aid award letters from other schools you may have been admitted to. If your financial aid award from your dream college is substantially less generous than the awards from other schools, you might be able to contact the financial aid office to appeal. Alternatively, if the difference in aid is truly drastic, you might want to reconsider attending a different (and more generous) college.
Look for additional scholarships
Start with the school by asking the financial aid office if there are any scholarship or grant opportunities that you might be able to apply for that are not already listed on your financial aid award letter. Next, utilize resources like Fast Web or the College Board to identify outside scholarships that you might be eligible for. Be careful, though: Many colleges will use outside scholarship funds to reduce the amount of school-based gift aid that you receive. Before applying for outside scholarships, ask the financial aid office if it is possible to apply outside scholarships to reduce loans rather than gift aid.
Get some expert advice
If you’re not confident in where to start your financial aid search, your local 宝博体育 college counselors are here to help. Contact your center and schedule a free consultation today.
Prepping for SAT Subject Tests
TEST PREPEffective 2021, SAT Subject Tests are no longer offered by the College Board. To show subject matter expertise, consider taking AP exams instead.
Between spring break, SAT or ACT test prep, and the day to day grind of tough high school classes, you probably don’t have a lot of attention to spare for anything else…but we’ve got one more thing to put on your radar.
SAT Subject Tests.
These are probably the least well known of all tests relating to college admissions. Everyone knows about the ACT and the SAT, and millions of students take AP exams each year, but out of the roughly seventeen million students who enroll in college each year, only a few hundred thousand take SAT Subject Tests.
Part of the reason that most students don’t take SAT Subject Tests is because of how colleges treat these tests. Whereas most colleges require the ACT or SAT for admission, policies about SAT Subject Tests are a lot less straightforward.
There are a few hundred colleges that include SAT Subject Tests as a part of their admissions decisions, but how these colleges treat Subject Tests varies.
Should you take SAT Subject Tests?
Probably. If you’re in honors or AP level classes, it’s to your advantage to take the corresponding SAT Subject Tests. At most colleges, good Subject Test scores can only help your application, and if you do end up applying to a college that requires or recommends that you submit SAT Subject Test scores, it’s better to have the scores on hand than to have to scramble at the last minute to take the tests.
How can you prep for SAT Subject Tests?
Be sure to keep SAT Subject Tests on your radar so that you can be fully prepared for your college applications when the time comes!