Hi guys! I took AP Psychology this past year. It was probably my favorite class and I really learned a lot, so I thought I’d share some strategies/resources that helped me. Some of the tips are specific to the AP exam, but a lot of the resources can be used even if you’re not taking psychology through the College Board. Hope this helps! :)
Actually memorize the terms/definitions. AP Psychology exam questions are really built around your understanding of the words. The best way for me to do this was by using Quizlet/flashcards and by writing and rewriting the terms into my notes and graphic organizers/mind maps. Particularly on the free response section, there’s not a lot of wiggle room if you don’t know the definition of the term that they’re asking for.
Studying Effectively Using Flashcards
Quizlet (writing out and making physical flashcards can sometimes be more effective for learning the definitions initially, but this is a great review tool and I would definitely recommend using it)
Spend a lot of time making sure you understand the Biological Bases of Behavior unit and also the Sensation and Perception unit. Not only are these probably the most confusing, but together they make up a large portion of test questions. A lot of questions also tend to be built onto concepts in these units, so it’s important to feel comfortable with them. Practice tests/questions are a really great way to see what you need to work on!
Barron’s AP Psychology Practice Test
Practice Tests for Every Unit (I used these to prepare for the AP exam + tests in class and they were great!)
Practice Quizzes for Every Unit
Especially with AP Psychology, there are going to be topics that you know really well because they’re interesting to you. This makes it even more important to get repetition with the concepts that you maybe aren’t as interested in or aren’t as confident in. Don’t skip out on practicing!
As of 2017, the AP Psych Exam has 2 parts: The Multiple Choice section and the free response section.
The multiple choice section is 100 questions in an hour and ten minutes. It counts for 2/3 of your score. The free response is 2 questions (usually with 6-7 parts each) and counts for 1/3 of your score.
Practice! I honestly can’t stress this enough. My teacher required us to take lots of practice quizzes as grades during the year, and it definitely paid off when it was exam time.
Previously released AP Exams can be found on the College Board website!
Realize that there are going to be some questions that you just don’t know. There are so many things to talk about when it comes to psychology, and your teacher/prep book probably didn’t cover all of them. The best you can do is eliminate the obvious choices, and make an educated guess when you can.
When it comes to the free response questions, there are probably going to be a few terms you don’t know. Don’t freak out, just try to figure out what they’re asking and how it relates to something you do know. The best way to get a feel for how the free response questions are typically structured is by looking at past tests! There’s not really a set way to prepare for these besides practicing, so do as many as you can :)
2017 Free Response Questions
AP Psych Free Response Questions From 1993-2013
Free Response Questions From 1999-2017 (At the bottom of the page)
Some teachers might say differently, but I was taught to answer the free response questions by defining and then applying. Typically in free response questions, they give you a scenario and a list of terms, and then ask you how the terms relate to the scenario. So I would define the term, and then explain how it related to the scenario. This strategy worked really well for me on the exam and tests I took in class, but everyone has their own strategies.
College Board Course Description and Course Overview (Good for deciding if AP Psych is the class for you or getting a general feel for the class before the year starts)
AP Psychology Frequently Asked Questions
Crash Course (I don’t find these very useful for learning concepts, but they are a good refresher when reviewing for the AP Exam or finals)
Khan Academy (This is technically prep for the MCAT, but the videos are still really helpful, especially for the Biological Bases of Behavior and Sensation & Perception units mentioned earlier)
Notes Outlines for 3 Different Psychology Textbooks
TED Talks About Psychology (Even if you aren’t taking AP Psych these are really interesting!)
Netflix also has lots of really interesting documentaries about psychology
What’s In My Pencil Case
Advice for Incoming High School Freshman
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