Here are five tips to ace AP Chemistry -- you can begin right now!

1. Create a List for Success

The first thing to do when beginning to review for your AP Chemistry final is to list out each topic covered during the semester.  Be sure to include the chapter title.

Example: "ZUMDAHL, Chapter 5: Gas Laws"

After you do this, you should then write out the essential equations for that chapter. Pay attention to units and be careful with the meaning of each variable. 

Example: 

q is heat, m is mass, c is the specific heat, and delta T is the change in temperature.  It is important to note that heat is measured in Joules, mass is measured in grams, the specific heat is reported in J/g* ^oC, and temperature is measured in degrees Celsius.

Once you know the topics to review as well as the key equations, you will have an awesome study guide that will serve you well over the next few weeks. Keep this guide with you so that if you have extra time at some point during the day, you can go over these key ideas.

2. Test yourself

Next tip? Begin testing yourself. What do you know really well, and what don’t you know at this point? Testing yourself early is essential, and can be a game-changer during test preparations.

3. Visit the College Board online

Some student don’t do this, but here is a secret: a lot of teachers use questions from here as free response questions on the final. Look for questions related to the topics the class covered this semester.

For example, you can search online for “gas laws AP open-ended” and be directed to several free response questions. I recommend taking ~10-15 minutes each day for AP open-ended practice leading up to the exam.

4. Purchase and utilize a prep book

Some students wait until April to purchase a prep book. You are going to buy one today. Then, you will find the pertinent chapters covered this semester, highlight the overview of each lesson, and then complete the multiple-choice in that lesson.

You can do the open-ended practice as time allows, since you will have already done a fair amount of practice on the College Board site.

The prep book reminds you not to lose the forest from the trees. What are the major ideas you need to know for each topic? Can you perfect those areas? The prep-book model harkens back to Tip 2: if you test yourself and collect diagnostic information, you will be able to hone in on specific areas to review. Your studying will be amped up tenfold.

5. Review through crash-course videos

As long as you are not falling asleep or talking on the phone while watching videos, they can be super helpful as you start reviewing for your AP Chemistry exam. For example, Mr. Bergmann is a renowned teacher, and his videos make a challenging subject pretty straightforward. Pro tip: It can be helpful to take notes on these videos and do the problems alongside Mr. Bergmann! 

Save these videos for late evenings or car rides where you are the passenger. This tip is icing on the cake for a wonderful review.