One of the best ways to prepare for college and show colleges you can handle their courses would be by taking AP classes. With AP exams right around the corner, and COVID-19 still an issue; questions arise on how the exam will be taken and how to prepare. In previous years students would go on their testing day to take their final almost always with paper and pencil with everyone else who took that course, this year presents more complications. Nearly all AP finals will be online and at home except for French Language and Culture and Spanish Language and Culture; those exams will be given in person with paper and pencil. The rest of the AP exams will be offered online on a specific date and a particular time; you can find the time and date for your exam at AFHS AP Exams 2021.
Make sure you prepare to take the final digitally this year. To do this, go to AP Central College Board and follow their four steps to prepare for the exam. These steps include installing the digital testing app on your laptop; if you have a Chromebook that the school did not issue, it will not work, so you need to contact your AP teacher, or find access to another computer on test day. The county no longer has extra Chromebooks available for testing.
Make sure to study for your finals; getting a head start never hurts. If you prefer listening to a lecture, it can be as simple as typing the course name into the search engine on Youtube; you’ll find many channels dedicated to helping you study for the AP exam. Websites like Khan Academy and Quizlet will be helpful if you prefer to read or take quizzes. If you don’t know what to study or what will be on the exam, go to AP Central College Board and find your course name; it will give you a detailed description of what will be on the exam. AP Students College Board also offers a free practice test consisting of around 20 questions and a full-length free-response section. You can take both after setting up your computer. When taking a practice test, try to recreate the environment you will be in on your test day; it will help you mentally prepare and be more comfortable on the exam day. When studying, make sure to drink plenty of water and stay focused.
When taking the final, remember to pace yourself, and try not to get too caught up in a question you don’t know the answer to; guessing results in no penalty. Maintaining positive self-talk will help you pass, so try not to beat yourself up for not knowing the answer. Instead, answer the question and move on.
Taking the final this year at home and by yourself may seem scary, but you got this. Just don’t forget to set up your laptop, study, and most importantly, keep a positive attitude. Starting your final with a positive attitude can help you succeed. If you go in thinking you will get a five knowing you studied the best you could, you will be way closer to getting a good score.
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