AP Chem Test Prep Tips

The AP Chemistry exam is almost here. And if your teen is starting to feel the pressure, they’re not alone. But with the right strategy, tools, and mindset, they can walk into test day with confidence.

In this episode of Teaching High School Science, I break down the full AP Chem exam format, multiple choice and free response, so you and your teen know exactly what to expect. Then, I walk you through the essential tools students should be using (hello, formula packet and calculator!) and how to avoid the most common scoring mistakes that cost points unnecessarily.

You'll also hear:

• Why practicing with the actual formula packet matters
  
  
  
• How to use the calculator effectively (not just have it on hand)
  
  
  
• The importance of showing work, using correct units, and writing legibly
  
  
  
• A 3-step “sweep strategy” for getting through the test without getting stuck
  
  
  
• How to prep in the final weeks with realistic practice and smart pacing
  
  
  

🎧 Whether you’re looking for last-minute study strategies or simple ways to boost your teen’s confidence, this episode is packed with practical, no-fluff advice to help them finish strong.

📌 Looking for more help? Check the links to my blog, tutoring availability, and additional science resources!

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Chapters

• 0:00 AP Chemistry Exam Overview
• 1:58 Essential Test-Taking Tools
• 3:46 FRQ Do's and Don'ts
• 6:08 Effective Study Strategies
• 7:53 Test-Taking "Sweeping" Method
• 9:20 Final Tips and Resources

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

The AP Chem exam is right around the corner, and if your teen is feeling the pressure they are not alone While preparing for this exam can feel overwhelming. If they are equipped with the right strategy and tools, then they can walk into the exam feeling confident. In this episode, I'm going to break down the format of the test, share some tips for making the most of the resources and give you some actionable advice to help your teen maximize their performance. Let's dive in. Welcome to Teaching High School Science. I'm your host, doc, a former biochemist turned high school science teacher and private tutor. Whether you're homeschooling your teen through high school science or teaching online, join me as I share tips and strategies I've learned over the years for at-home and online labs and activities, breaking down complex concepts and structuring learning in a way that makes sense. Now let's dive into today's topics.

Speaker 1: 0:57

The first step to success is knowing what to expect, so here's a breakdown of the AP Chemistry exam format. You have two sections. The first section is your multiple choice question section, called MCQs, and in this section you have 60 multiple choice questions and you will have one hour and 30 minutes to complete this. The second section is your free response, commonly called FRQs. Now, this section is composed of seven questions, three of them long response and consist of 10 points each, and the other four are short response, which are four points each. You will have one hour and 45 minutes to complete this section, and each section comprises half of your grade. So your multiple choice is 50% and FRQ is 50%. So now that we understand the format and timing of each section of the test, let's talk about your tools.

Speaker 1: 1:58

You need to make sure that your team is using their tools, and there are two powerful tools that they can use during the exam. The first one is the formula packet and the second is their calculator. Now they can use the formula packet and the calculator on both parts of the exam. So first, let's talk about the formula packet. It has essential formulas, constants and the periodic table. If they're taking AP Chemistry in a class instead of doing a self-study, then they've been using this packet throughout the class and it's very important that they become very familiar with this resource. During my tutoring sessions, I ask them to have their packet ready, because they're going to be referring to that to pull their formulas, to check their constants and to make sure that they're showing their work the proper way. That second tool, their calculator, is a scientific graphing calculator. The one I use is a TI-84 CE+ and they can use this on both parts of the test. And they can use this on both parts of the test. Not only can they use it, but it is highly recommended that they use it and make sure that they understand how to use all functions, including scientific notation, logarithms, parentheses for putting in strings of information that follow PEMDAS. And then Also, I tell them, do not waste time removing programs before the test and I encourage them to use the calculator instead of just trying to figure it out in their heads. Do whichever is quickest, because they want to be comfortable and ensure comfort, speed and accuracy using it.

Speaker 1: 3:42

The third thing is understanding those do's and don'ts. My last episode we talked about some of those essential things that they need to do with the FRQ section that can eat away points if they don't. One of them is writing clearly and legibly, because this section is graded by real people and if the graders cannot read their work or have to guess at their work, then they will not award points for that work. They're making sure that they're showing all of that work If there is an equation that they have to use, for example calculating bond energy, write that equation down and then show the numbers that they're plugging into each component of that equation, with the units in each step. This shows the logic that they follow, plugging into each component of that equation with the units in each step. This shows the logic that they follow in answering that question and often can lead to partial credit if, for whatever reason, they don't quite get the correct answer. And then this goes to making sure that they're using the correct units and the correct variables no made up abbreviations and no skip units. Making sure that they include their units with each and every step and then answering the entire question. For example, if it's asking you which of two compounds have stronger intermolecular forces or a higher boiling point, then making sure that they not just mention one compound but they mention both and they provide the forces of both compounds and clearly state which one has stronger intermolecular forces or which one has a higher boiling point.

Speaker 1: 5:24

Again, you want to make sure that you're writing clearly and legibly. You want to make sure that you're showing all of the work, you're not skipping any steps, and you want to make sure that you are using the correct units, not skipping units, and that you're being very specific. For example, if such as it or they make sure you're clearly saying water or hydrogen peroxide, what that does is it removes any confusion or doubt as to what you're referring to from the grader, so that they would know that you know what you're talking about. So what are some tips when it comes to studying, especially if you only have a few weeks left? Well, making sure that you practice problems. You want to make sure that you understand the format of the questions, that you understand how they're worded and that the way they're worded are no longer tripping you up. So this means that you want to go to college board and use official AP chemistry practice exams to simulate test conditions. And when I say simulate test conditions, time yourself with the amount of time that you will have for multiple choice questions and the amount of time that you will have for FRQs, and that way you can become accustomed to what you need to do within that time frame in order to answer those questions. Some other resources can be Khan Academy or Albert IO that has some detailed walkthroughs and test prep to help you prepare for a PQM exam One test taking strategy that I help my students with during our tutoring sessions is sweeping.

Speaker 1: 7:07

Sometimes students can see a question, get stuck on that question and eat precious time. So instead of getting stuck, the first sweep is when you answer all questions that you know immediately. Focus it on questions that don't require any calculations, dissection of diagrams. You know them, you can answer them and you can move on that second sweep. You can answer them and you can move on that second sweep. You can go back and answer those questions that may need a little bit more thought. There may be a little bit more calculations or analyzing diagrams or maybe making notes on scratch paper. And what's cool about this is that after that first sweep, you understand and know what's on the exam. There are not going to be any surprises. So when you go back to the second sweep, although you may know the question but need a little bit more time, you have gained a bit more confidence because you've already gone through and answered some questions that you are confident about and know.

Speaker 1: 8:04

Now that third sweep would be those remaining questions that are going to be a little bit harder. These are going to require more time, more thinking and more figuring out. Now this works because it ensures that you have answered all of those questions throughout the test and gained the points of the questions you know. You have gone back through and given those other questions that you know but need a little bit more time and had the opportunity to answer those, and then that left the questions that you really needed to think about and you can divide your remaining time for those Now. Keep in mind that there are no scoring penalty. That means that wrong answers don't count against you, so by all means do not leave any blank answers. If time is running out, then just make an educated guess. Use the process of elimination to increase your odds of guessing correctly, but you want to answer every question because you may just get that question correct and gain those additional points.

Speaker 1: 9:11

If you want to hear more about those suggested do's with the FRQs, check out my last episode 29, where I discuss this in more detail, and check out my blog. That's linked in the show notes. If you're looking for more guidance and help At the time of this podcast, I offer tutoring throughout school. That link to my tutoring page and my availability will be linked in the show notes as well. Let me know if you have any questions, ideas or other experiences that you'd like to share. Head on over to my podcast page, which you can access by visiting my website at thesciencementorcom. Then select podcast from the menu and subscribe now to the Teaching High School Science podcast for your regular dose of motivation and just-in-time science ideas, and together let's make high school science a journey of exploration and achievement. Until next time, remember curiosity leads to endless possibilities.