AP Test Advice

Many students within Denali are beginning to stress about the AP tests that are approaching quickly. Whether it be English Language, European History, United States History, Psychology or any of the multiple others being offered this year, over a third of the school will be taking an AP test in a few months.

In light of these upcoming tests, I’ve assembled three helpful tips that you should consider in order to get those 3’s, 4’s and 5’s.

Before the test, make sure that you’re getting enough sleep! Many people are already familiar with the generic rule of getting a good night's sleep before test day, but did you know that it is important to get two nights of sleep before hand?

Many people would think this is unnecessary, but it is actually important because of something known as sleep debt. Sleep debt is the number a hours not spent in deep REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Many people often confuse it with sleep deprivation, believing it takes several nights of bad sleep for it to actually begin to affect daily life.

Nonetheless, studies show that even one night with no REM sleep can lead to immediate consequences during the day. Some of these problems include loss in concentration, short term memory, and increased anxiety. This can be detrimental to your performance on anon AP test. In short, get not one, but two nights of good, deep sleep before test day.

On the day of your AP test, remember to bring all necessary materials. Many people often forget or don’t know what to bring to an AP exam. My advice is to take out everything needed the night before and pack the following items up on the day of testing.

Due to the school that we attend, pens and pencils are important , as many people forget to bring one or both of these writing tools. College Board requires that students bring both a No.2 pencil and a pen with dark blue or black ink. The pencil is used for the multiple choice portion, however, a pen is required for all writing portions on all AP tests. This seemingly simple task can often be forgotten on the test day, so make sure that you have at least two pens and pencils when the day arrives.

A form of ID is another thing that can be easily forgotten, or simply be unknown to many involved in taking different tests. However, College Board requires that you have an appropriate school or government issued ID on hand. Similar to the SAT, this ID is used to verify your identity when leaving for breaks in the middle of the test. Make sure you have either your school ID, drivers license, or some other form of acceptable identification.

Snacks and water are actually much more important that you might first think. Both hydration and nourishment are important for concentration and focus: “The human brain is made of around 85% water. When you are not properly hydrated the effects can be felt in your brain as symptoms like headaches, poor concentration, and reduced short-term memory. Even your ability to perform arithmetic and the rapidity of your psychomotor skills can be reduced.” According to naturalhealthnews.

After completing the test, the moment of relief is very attractive. However, after a while, many people will begin to stress out about the results. Do not do this! While this seems self-explanatory, it can be very easy to slide into a case of paranoia and stress about your score. In turn, this can affect your daily life and impact your other school work. A good way to avoid this issue is to not talk about it in the grading interim. When scores are released, remain calm and accept your score with dignity. If you got the score you wanted, great job! If not, create a new plan for the next test opportunity, or move onto different subjects. There are over two dozen AP tests available, so you will have plenty of opportunities across many different subjects!

Tests like Advanced Placement provoke a lot of anxiety and stress, which is completely natural. We want to succeed and dread failure. However, this stress can be easily subdued as long as you stay calm and simply do your best. Using these few tips above can help you keep a clear head and focus on meeting your goals.