Taking AP classes can be overwhelming due to the amount of content you need to absorb, the workload, and the fast-paced nature of the classes. From my experience as someone who has taken AP classes, it can definitely be easy to get buried under pressure when trying to balance different assignments and extracurriculars. Being engaged and paying attention in these classes is crucial to being successful and learning the material you need to.
In this article, you’ll see tips/words of encouragement from some AP Scholars recognized in the Ewing High School bulletin near the SRO office, to help you get a good score on your AP Exam(s) and motivate you to give your best effort! I reached out to a few AP Scholars to gather some of the best advice/what they did to review for AP Exams, and here is what they had to share:
- “Make sure to get just the right amount of sleep, not too much, not too little, maybe around 8 hours. To memorize content, try teaching it to other people or simply teach it to yourself in front of a mirror, since it is often beneficial to explain the information. It is one of my favorite study methods.” – Giuliana Gustino, 2026
- “I watched tons of review videos and skimmed/annotated through the content of the AP book a month before the test. Then the week of the test, I reviewed those notes and got a 5 :).” – Nayeli Lemus, 2026
- “Make time to prepare for the test in the weeks leading up to it, start getting into good study habits, and ask for help from your teachers when needed.” – Abby Nickels, 2026
- “You’ve been grinding all year — the late-night readings, the DBQs/FRQs, the stress — all of it wasn’t for nothing. This is the part where you prove yourself and how far you’ve come. You know more than you think, and you’ve put in more effort than most. Personally, taking an hour or two out of your day to study for AP exams goes a long way. It might be tough to put your phone down and start, but once you do, you’ll feel focused on whatever you’re studying. For practice tests, read questions carefully and make sure to finish strong despite the difficulty.” – Amine Abtouche, 2026
- “My tips are to sleep well, know your weaknesses, and make sure to study those weaknesses effectively” – Bryan Munoz, 2025
- “My biggest tip is to know your strengths and weaknesses in the subject, look over past test scores, and check the AP classroom breakdowns to be able to pinpoint exactly which section of a unit you need to study. Use a Google sheet to color-code sections based on difficulty, and on the sections you need the most help on, use AP daily videos or a prep book. Review any past FRQs and transfer any online notes you may have to paper to ensure you remember them more. To take everything a step further, write key terms for each of the units and refer to a prep book to see if anything was missed. Most importantly, try not to stress obsessively and try to get a good sleep the night before.” – Jae Carbajal, 2026
Not only is studying important for the AP Exam season, but so is taking care of yourself. As mentioned previously by these AP Scholars, it is extremely important to use your time effectively and make sure you get enough rest. Lastly, some personal advice I’d give would be to eat something healthy before the exam to feel energized and ready to go, as well as using all of the resources available to you — your teachers, AP Classroom, prep books, review videos, and of course, your classmates!
