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I'm currently a sophomore taking Physics 1A, Chemistry 1A and World History. (Note: There isn't any AP/Honor class offered to any sophomore in my school ). Always a motivated student, I really want to challenge myself by taking AP exams for all of them in May with Physics as my #1 choice. I understand the difficulties that are ahead of me and that I may be ultra-ambitious or maybe even a little bit pedantically insane ... But if you think it's at any way possible, please give me some advices!

If possible, please answer the following questions in your response:

a. How much time should I study every day including weekends for those tests?
b. Should I self-study calculus as well in order to do physics more efficiently?
c. Please rate the the difficulty of these three exams (I may consider dropping one between chemistry and world history).
d. Please rate my chances (That is, AT LEAST ONE 5 among all three), with 1 as "Most unlikely" and 10 as "Most likely".

Thanks!

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 05:39 pm: Edit

If you are only planning to take the Physics B exam, you won't need calculus for that.

By Bullrider7788 (Bullrider7788) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 06:48 pm: Edit

Both Physics and Chem are known to have nortoriously hard AP exams with pass rates below 60% (usually around 55%, give or take a bit) and the average score on those tests are usually between 2.6 and 2.8. To get a 5 on either one of those exams without the actual class will be a VERY difficult. I took AP Chem this year and only got a 4. AP World History is the one that seems the most do-able amongst those three, considering that you will have a solid, coherent understanding of history. If you're gonna study for an AP test, make it World History.

By Clickspring (Clickspring) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 08:45 pm: Edit

Why are you in such a hurry? Does your school offer second year or AP Physics? What about AP Chem or WH? The easiest of those is WH. You should really wait to take the AP class.

By Number9 (Number9) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 09:18 pm: Edit

Make sure you are aware of essay formats for the WorldHist if you want to get a 5.

Im sure they can be found somewhere around here, or ask a teacher that might know.


For Physics and Chemistry, I'd search around and see what books around here most ppl used for self-study, and then I'd overlearn as much as I could on it. These are two hard tests, so I suggest you study a good while on them both. Might as well start at the beginning of the school year and when you come home work for a standard school period-length time at home, and even on weekends.

If you dont slack off and keep your eyes on your goal, I dont think youll be that bad off.

Bon chance!

By Rachel555 (Rachel555) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 11:24 pm: Edit

i took an honors, but not AP (because it isnt offered), US History class at my school this year and then took the AP exam in May and got a 5. So based on that i would say that it would be possible to self study the additional information on the world history AP and have a reasonable chance of doing well.

in terms of physics and chemistry at least at my school we are told not to really endeavor into taking the exams becuase the tests are 1. extremely difficult, 2. far more lab based then our cirriculum, which is something that is hard to make up after any amount of studying, and 3. the AP class itself is simply more in depth given that it has a double period etc.

so i would say definately go for world history, but that the sciences would be far more of a challenge, though i guess you could do any of it if you truly applied yourself.