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Introduction
The decision to take Advanced Placement (AP) classes is a significant step toward academic excellence. I remember first deciding to take an AP class; and the main thing I remember from that time was the stress I had choosing the perfect classes that suited me, as well as if I would be worthy enough to take such classes. For that reason, I ‘ve decided to compile this guide here today so that no such thoughts ever cross your mind ever again.
What are AP (Advanced Placement) Classes?
AP courses offer a rigorous curriculum that can enrich your high school experience and provide valuable college credits through a final exam at the end of the year in May. Such classes hold extremely high value because they allow you to skip that specific class in college if you pass the final exam.
However, such rigorous courses also come with unique challenges. Whether that’d be loads of homework, impossibly difficult in-class tests, or general projects, AP classes can be tough. But, that’s why we’re here; to ease that struggle, and to make your school life easier.
Don’t Stress
And if you’re stressing, don’t be (unless you’ve decided to take AP Chem or AP Lit, then good luck). You should always be choosing classes that suit you, and I hope you’ve done that. If you need more of a guide on choosing the perfect classes according to you as a person, and you as a learner, I suggest checking out this post ____.
The List
Each list item below is exactly what you need to know to preparing for an AP Class. And if you’re asking, no, it’s not all about “AP Summer Work”. There’s a lot more to that. Although you could do it, and although it serves a lot of purpose for many students, there’s other things that you can do.
1. Be Confident
Do you seriously want to take this class? If there were no AP credits offered, would you still take the class? What makes this class more enjoyable/generally better than other AP courses? Will this class provide any value when it comes time to getting hired? Are you confident that you will do good enough in this class?
There’s a lot to Advanced Placement classes that other normal, or honors courses don’t have. If you don’t think you’ll do well in the class, what’s stopping you from choosing another easier or more enjoyable course? Why sacrifice your sanity, mental well-being, and sleep, if you don’t even enjoy the class? There’s nothing wrong with choosing easier AP classes. Do what you need to do. But, if you’re deciding on a course that’s quite obviously very difficult to get a good grade in, why bother? Be considerate; and I mean, very considerate.
2. Understand the Commitment
Before diving into AP coursework, it’s crucial to understand the commitment involved. AP classes demand more time and effort than regular courses, but the rewards are substantial. Are you motivated enough to take this class, or are you just taking it because some friend from school told you that it was an easy class?
No matter what AP course you take, it will be more difficult than normal. This isn’t saying that all AP courses are difficult, because that isn’t true (especially when you look at CSP or HG for example). But, instead this means that it is an AP class. There is going to be more work for this class than a lower-level class that teaches the same subject.
3. Review Prerequisite Knowledge
Review the foundational concepts related to your chosen AP courses during the summer or before the course begins. This will give you a head start and boost your confidence when tackling advanced material.
For example, if school started in 2 weeks, and I was taking APUSH (AP U.S. History), what are the units taught in that class about? Take time (e.g. a couple minutes a day) to review the material beforehand and be familiar with the concepts taught in class.
As an example, the summer before taking APWH (AP World History), I took notes one every single unit so that I was completely familiar with everything taught in class so that I wouldn’t be confused. Of course, this is a very lengthy process, and took 1 hour of note-taking every day for about 2 months to actually complete.
So, if you’re in a time-crunch, and want to invest as much time in your summer to having fun, I don’t suggest my approach. The only scenario in which I would seriously suggest such an approach is if I’m taking a class that I completely not suited for. Otherwise, just take light, but good notes on the future AP class that you’re taking. With that, you should be good.
4. Develop Strong Study Habits
During the summer, I suggest that you develop good study habits and continue learning how to learn so that you are completely prepared for a rigorous course. One of the main reasons why you are stressing so much about an AP class may just be because you don’t know how to learn something effectively. I mean, how is anyone supposed to read and remember 150 pages as an assignment due the next day?
If you are interested in reading more about developing excellent study habits, I suggest checking out this post here.
5. Time Management
How are you going to balance out your social life, personal life, and school life all at once? Will you be able to manage project, assignment, and exam due dates being thrown at you randomly? The first thing you need to do here is assure yourself that you’re ready, and actually prove it. You can do this by thinking of clever examples, and visualizing your capability of being efficient with your time.
6. Seek Support, Stay Informed, and Chill out
If you’re taking the same or a similar course to your peers, how are they preparing? Give them a message and ask them what they’re doing. Don’t be surprised if you here responses that you totally didn’t expect. Everyone’s mindset is different in some way, probably.
Next, stay updated. Are there any new updates mentioned by the College Board on your specific course? And if you’ve already started taking the class, what does the syllabus say, what is your teacher saying, what is everyone in your class saying?
Lastly, chill out. If you’re just starting out, you really shouldn’t be worrying. You have plenty of time to do well on this class, and as long as you pass the final exam, you’re good. Be prepared to ace that bad boy, and be prepared for everything in general. If you do bad on an assignment, it’s not the end of the world, seriously. Just because one grade sets you 6 feet under, doesn’t mean that you can’t pick yourself back up.
7. Set Realistic Goals
At the end of the day, you have one final milestone by the end of the year, and that’s to do well on that final exam in May. But, throughout your journey during the year, you have to set realistic expectations for yourself. What do you wish to accomplish in September? How about October? What about November? And on and on.
8. Get Good Sleep
Wake up every morning to a good nights sleep. It’s not easy to say goodbye to stress, so just start with the bare basics; that being sleep. It’s no surprise that you’re doing horrible in an AP class, and have awful concentration, if you seemingly cannot get a good nights sleep. Before focusing on the complex to-dos, target the easier ones first.
A Week In Action
| Date | Demand | Due Date |
| Monday, September 4 | – Complete one chapter of the APUSH Textbook – Complete the packet for Chemistry – Study for the AP Calc exam | |
| Tuesday, September 5 | – Complete the English assignment – Complete two elective assignments | – Chemistry Packet Due – AP Calc Exam |
| Wednesday, September 6 | – Read Chapter 2 for APUSH – Complete the homework for AP Calc | – English Assignment due – Elective Assignments due |
| Thursday, September 7 | – Read Chapter 3 for APUSH | – AP Calc Homework due |
| Friday, September 8 | – 3 chapters for APUSH due |
The schedule above is just an exemplar week in action. You may find yourself having more or less homework than is shown in the table above.
Be simple with how you create your work schedule for the week. If you need a similar one, but for studying during the summer (or the school year itself), you can view the table in this post here.
Endnotes
So, you’ve just finished the entire article. By now, I hope you know more about AP class preparation than ever. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that things have to be complicated, because they don’t.
