AP Psychology is one of my favorite AP courses! It’s fascinating and with the right resources and some motivation, it’s fun!
Every teacher has his/her own methods of teaching, lecturing, testing, etc. What my professor did was base the tests on lectures and the packets he gave us, more so than what was in our textbook. The packets were from the Barron’s AP Psychology review and the Cicarelli and White text. Based on those and his lectures (based on the packets) and his study guides, I was able to get a 103% in the class and a 5 on the AP test.
Here are some of the methods I used to study for the class and exam! I hope these help you, as they helped me! x
Read the text in advance. If your teacher provides a syllabus or you know what chapters or sections are coming up, take the time to skim through or thoroughly read the text if you have time! That way, you are prepared for the lecture and can ask questions that may not have been cleared up!
Take notes. When it comes to lecture notes, jot down what you find necessary. Re-word the text so it’s easy for you to understand. There are little abbreviations you can use as well! When it came to taking notes for myself, I highlighted the text printed on the packets my teacher gave us, but sometimes, highlighting just won’t make the information stick in my mind. So, I jotted down notes in a notebook and also wrote in the margins of the packets!
Notes can be in any format you desire. I didn’t make a studyblr until September, so I never thought to make mindmaps or foldables. I just made my own flashcards and used Quizlet. Use whatever it takes to help you remember the information!
Re-read the material! After you’ve had lecture, the concepts should seem less confusing. If not, don’t be afraid to ask questions! You never know that someone else might be wondering the same thing you are. Look over both your lecture notes and your own notes and look over the readings again. Make sure you thoroughly understand concepts. Don’t make the mistake of breezing over something, thinking, oh, i’ll get to it later, or oh, it will probably sink in later. It won’t. The sooner you are able to understand an idea now, the easier it will be to get later concepts that are built on the ones you’re currently learning.
Revise. I never thought to rewrite all my notes, as I didn’t have the time. I think of revision as reviewing my own notes and adding additional facts to them or mnemonic devices or clues that might help me remember a particular psychologist or concept!
Make/use study guides. My teacher provided us with a list of terms (people and concepts) we needed to know, as well as some possible essay questions. We were to make our own hand-made flashcards and turn them in for points, but we only needed to do part of the study guide, not all for full credit. I did all of the terms and answered all the questions, making both flashcards and typing the info onto a Word doc. Yes, it was time consuming. Yes, it was worth it. I never got anything below an A on all my tests and essays. If you need to make your own study guides, I suggest finding main terms, defining them, and providing examples of how a term is used. For example, I would define classical conditioning, but also give an example of it. Provide context! It’s one thing to understand what the word means, it’s another to be able to elaborate and explain. You’ll need to do so on the FRQ’s when it comes to the exams!
Take deep breaths. You got this, you studied!
Here is a post on how to kick booty on exams!
Here is a post on how to reduce exam stress.
Here is a set of amazing printables for an exam study pack!
Here’s the thing. If you have to learn materials in order to prep, you’re in trouble. Studying for the AP exam should primarily be review, as the exam you’re studying for is cumulative and based on stuff you should know already. If you slacked off and didn’t give a crap throughout the year and want a 5 on the AP exam, it’s probably not happening. Maybe if you’re hella determined, but it’s best if you had tried throughout the year!
AP exams are distributed in May. Depending on the number of exams you have that year and how difficult they can be, it’s best if you start studying maaaybe in early March. I started in January, but that’s because I wanted to LOL. It’s entirely up to you.
I suggest setting up a schedule. Use free printable calendars to mark study days, countdowns, etc. I planned to review a certain number of chapters per day, gave myself break days/relax days to avoid burnout.
AP review books are amazing. I personally love Princeton Review books. I’ve used them for all my AP exams and they’re extremely reliable! The problem, for me, is the price. One book, $20, eh. 5 AP exams, 5 books, $100. Not so cheap anymore, eh? So, ask around! Your friends who previously took the exam might be able to give you some tips and sell their books to you for a discounted price, or maybe even give them to you for free! If you have a friend in the grade higher than you or know someone taking an exam you plan on taking the next year, let them know ahead of time you’d be interested in purchasing their review book if they’re up for selling it! Also, check your local library for copies, I was able to get an edition from 2015 the same year I was taking the exam! Although the review books aren’t necessary, they’re very helpful!
Look up practice questions. Look up old FRQ’s and examples of responses! The College Board does post them! Check here.
I wouldn’t focus on taking a bunch more notes, but I would jot down some vital points! If you bought a review book, highlight it, write in the margins!
Flashcards are a great review option as well! If you’ve made great flashcards throughout the year, break them out now for studying! (That’s why it’s important to do your best throughout the year!)
Here are some additional posts/links regarding AP Psychology that may help as well! Best of luck!
AP Psychology Notes - Outlines
Psychology Flashcard Set (1000+ terms!)
Masterpost of Links for AP Psychology
AP Psychology Masterpost by studyign
AP Psychology Flashcards Masterpost
Psychology Crash Course Videos (V. Helpful! We watched these in class sometimes if there was time after lectures!)
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