The main semester is finished and the school is out. Winter is settling in. Thinking about how to benefit as much as possible from your Winter Break? Look at the most ideal approaches to utilize your downtime to get a head start for spring.
Pick your Advanced Placement subjects
While many Advanced Placement courses share a similar rigorous structure, students often find that certain subjects feel more natural or easier than others. To be sure you pick the right combination of AP courses, review the available options and take sample questions from each. The results will give you a sense of how the exams compare, where you stand, and what your strengths and weaknesses are. You'll also discover which subjects you perform best in.
Set your Advanced Placement study plan
There is a great deal of AP prep alternatives out there: self-prep, study guides, online platforms, applications, classes, web-based coaching, face to face tutoring, training camps… the list is huge. If you're a junior and haven't yet planned exactly how you'll study, right now is an ideal time. Shop around. Ask how your friends are preparing. Look online for a class or tutoring that meets your needs.
When you shop, be realistic about how much work you can do on your own, how you best learn, how much money you need to spend, and when you want to take your AP exams. By early January you should have picked a prep option and set your schedule. You don't have to start prep by January, however, a plan is an absolute must!
Become familiar with the basics
Acing an AP exam is a process, and that process always starts by learning the fundamentals. Spend your break doing an intensive course so that you have a solid foundation of the basics. You will also adopt best practices and strategies that will enable you to answer AP questions more quickly and effectively. When school is back in session, you'll then be able to focus on the lighter work of refining more advanced standards and taking practice tests to sharpen your skills.
Get a head start-particularly if you're taking multiple APs
The spring is always an intense season, especially if you plan to take several AP exams at once. Be proactive, make a plan, and excel on one of these tasks now. One option is to get a head start on your AP prep so you can take your first exam early before the main AP season heats up. A second option is to begin your AP review now. Set aside time to organize your notes from your AP classes, review everything you've learned so far in your course, and try to practice free-response and multiple-choice questions. Any work you do now will help ease the burden in the spring. Whichever option you choose, don't waste this valuable time!