AP exams are fast approaching, and for many students, this is their first experience with these tests. It may be helpful to have a little survival guide to getting through exams.

The first and most important thing is to know when and where your exam is. Most are at Wake Chapel across the street, but there are afternoon and morning exams, which means you need to check the start time of your specific exam. Always arrive a few minutes early. Standing around outside is way better than missing your exam.

The next most important part is to know your material. Whether it’s psychology, statistics, or another subject, you need to know what you’re going to be tested on. 

You also should know how you’re being tested. Learn what the multiple-choice questions will look like and the strategies to rule out bad answers. There are released tests that can help you hone your skills and gain some confidence. 

If possible, bring a watch, not a smartwatch as those aren’t allowed, because knowing how much time you have can help inform you when it’s time to put a letter down just to get all the questions answered. 

When time is running out and you need to guess at some answers, it is important to use the same letter. If the letter you guess with is A, stick to guessing with A. This gives you the best chance at all of your guesses to boost your score. 

All of this may sound intimidating, but most of us have taken big tests since third grade. It is important to stay calm and relaxed. This doesn’t affect your grade, and the worst-case scenario is that you don’t get college credit. 

This cannot negatively affect your academics, only positively. So it’s okay if it doesn’t go as planned. Good luck and hopefully y’all score high enough for college credit.