The 2022 Advanced Placement tests will be administered in-person at schools on paper and pencil. Exams will take place over two weeks in May, starting on May 2 and ending on May 13.

Students will not be permitted to take AP exams early or test at any time other than the dates posted by the College Board. Late testing dates are only available if students cannot test during the first two weeks of May because of certain circumstances.
One of the best ways to prepare for AP exams is to participate in class and set aside an appropriate amount of time for studying and reviewing the material presented in class. Students can do this by practicing exam questions available on AP Classroom. Several AP extra help study sessions will be held by AP teachers at MSD.

AP students have many opportunities to receive extra help and practice in preparation for their exams. There are numerous websites available to students that contain free and reliable AP practice exams, such as StudyPug, AP Practice Exams, Albert.io, High School Test Prep and Study.

“In my opinion, College Board is pretty reliable; they give you study guides and information that they know will be on the test,” former AP Biology teacher Ashley Sampson said. “However, sometimes they’ll give you information based on tests from previous years that don’t pertain to the current year.”

Along with reliable websites, there are various studying methods that are beneficial to AP test takers.

“When I study for my exam, I normally go to a quiet setting without a lot of distractions and try to silence my phone so I don’t get distracted,” sophomore Alexandra Lewis said.

The Pomodoro Technique is a tactic used for test taking to help maximize students’ work efficiency. According to the Pomodoro Timer Online website, students should first set up their workspace and select the task they want to accomplish. Students should then set a timer for 25 minutes before they begin working.

For the next 25 minutes, the student should be dedicated solely to the chosen task. When the timer dings, the student takes a five-minute break and when the five minutes are up, the individual should set the timer for another 25 minutes and get back to work. After four rounds of Pomodoros have been completed, the student should allow themselves to take a longer break, about 20-30 minutes, to recharge.

“I find the Pomodoros Technique to be extremely beneficial, especially considering the fact that I have a hard time concentrating for a long period of time,” sophomore Ashley Alfaro said.

Any students who take an AP course, especially those busy with multiple, are recommended to stay organized. By distributing tasks into smaller chunks, students can build a study plan based on their course’s objectives, and their own strengths and weaknesses.
Most high school students struggle with distractions, so the use of proven study methods enables them to avoid burnout and stay on track. A guide on how to build a strong AP study plan can be found on Albert.io.