By Jessica Salerno, Contributor to Her Campus

By the end of the school year, most of us have set our brains to cruise control and aren’t worrying about papers, tests, or even getting to class on time. But not everyone has that luxury, pre-collegiettes. Those of you taking the AP exams in May are heading into the final stretch before test time, no doubt with flashcards in one hand and a Starbucks espresso in the other. That’s why Her Campus is here to help you through the next month and a half with this AP exam study guide, guiding you through each week so you can ace the APs.

Week One: April 8 –14
“Preparation is largely dictated by the subject,” says Robert Dvorak, who’s helped students prepare for the AP English exam for over six years. “Begin with a review over the work done up to this point.” Meet with your teachers and discuss with them what you’ll need to know, and how they think you should study. Don’t be afraid to ask for a tutor, it’s better to know you need one now as opposed to a week before the exams.
HC Tip: Whether you’re feeling confident or intimidated by the APs, don’t let it get to you. Especially at the beginning of your studying, when it may seem like it’s impossible. “No matter how well you know the material, test-taking is always different under pressure and time constraints, so it’s best to factor in those considerations as well,” says Sarah Kahwash, Contributing Writer at Kenyon College.

Week Two: April 15 – 21
As tempting as it may be to zone out in the middle of class, don’t do it! Paying attention now is so important because you’ll be relearning important material and able to ask questions about the topics you don’t understand. Try to plan out what your studying schedule will be for the next few weeks so you don’t procrastinate or end up going on vacation the weekend before exams. Dvorak suggests coming up with some of your own questions to start getting into the mindset of the test. “Having students create questions for a passage they are familiar with helps ease the anxiety and better understand the logic behind these questions,” he says. You can take a variety of old practice tests at TestFrenzy or check out CollegeBoard for tips.
HC Tip: ”There are a lot of good books with practice tests, like Princeton Review. Practice taking tests from previous years (they’re available on the College Board website), because the test-makers recycle a lot of the same exact questions!” says Summer Austin, Campus Correspondent at Auburn University. You can check out all the subjects Princeton Review offers book on here.

Week Three: April 22 – 28
Sick of hearing yourself repeat foreign capitals and war dates out loud? Now’s the time to have a study party with friends. Doing something new will keep your mind on track and offer a new way to learn the material. But beware of your study party turning into a hangout sesh instead. To avoid this, schedule breaks every half hour or forty-five minutes where you can gossip and chat before getting back to the books. You and your friends can also take the practice tests together. “Take a couple practice tests, timed, and review.  Discuss test-taking strategies,”says Dvorak.
HC Tip: Don’t get so caught up in the material you’re studying that you forget to double-check your answers. And make sure you’re getting your information from reliable sources. “Compare notes with friends and don’t be afraid to check online to confirm that the facts in your study sheets are correct,” says Anne Robinson.

For weeks four and five and test day tips, click on original article below.