Worried about your upcoming AP exams? In a normal year, these exams can be anxiety-producing, but this year that may be particularly true. AP exams will now be offered in an online, open-note/open-book format. As schools continue to push back opening dates or cancel in-person classes for the rest of the year, you may find yourself taking online or modified final exams for all of your classes.
With all the information available to you, an online, open-book exam should be easy, right? Surprisingly, that may not be the case! Open-book/open-note exams usual push students to synthesize responses that demonstrate comprehension rather than just regurgitating facts. You should expect questions which may ask you to apply concepts in new ways. The College Board has put together a list of tips for preparing for online exams. Ultimately, knowing the material and having organized notes and resources will be your best strategy. This means you should continue to devote study time to your AP exams just as you would if you were taking them in person.
Thinking about scrapping the AP exams all together? You are not required by the College Board to take the AP exam (although your high school may have differing policies around this). The main incentive for taking the exam is the possibility of college credit. Although many colleges are adopting test-optional policies for admission, most have said that they will still award AP credit the same way they have in the past. The College Board has said that the AP exams will test content covered through early March. You have already done the work for the exam; you just need to refine your skills.
Take Action
Find more tips and resources for preparing for AP exams on the College Board website. You can apply these study tips to high school finals as well as future college exams.
Good luck!
Warmly,
Burcak Deniz Cakir
Founder and President | EdMission Possible
Phone: +1(732)640-5550
E-mail: bdcakir@EdMissionPossible.com
Burcak Deniz Cakir has a B.A. in Foreign Language Education, an M.A. in English Language Teaching, and an M.B.A., all of which have laid the solid foundation for her professional experiences as an educator. She has completed the College Counseling Program at UCLA, which is known to be the most prestigious certificate program in the profession. She has previously taught English as a Foreign/Second Language (EFL/ESL) in Turkey and in the U.S. at Virginia Tech, Harcum College, Rutgers University (Newark and New Brunswick Campuses), and Pace University. Having taught EFL/ESL at the college level for over 20 years, Burcak can communicate effectively with college-age students from different countries. She is bilingual in Turkish and English. Her extensive experience with international students from many countries including but not limited to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Korea, and China has given her the opportunity to understand their unique problems that domestic students may not be facing throughout the college admissions process, such as but not limited to extra testing requirements (TOEFL, IELTS), the translation of high school transcripts and recommendation letters, different financial forms and statements required, visa issues, being homesick, culture shock, etc.
Burcak is an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and a Voting Member of the International Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC). She currently lives in Edison, New Jersey with her husband, two daughters, and her four-legged son. In her free time, she can be found spending time with her family, reading (lots!) about college admissions and college essays, watching her favorite movies, getting lost in design magazines, and decorating her house.
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