As the optimism for summer fills the air and senioritis begins to hit like a semi truck, AP students are unfortunately reminded that they are far from able to let loose and enjoy the changing academic atmosphere. The beginning of May promises the long dreaded AP exams.

Along with the impending doom of looking forward to being cooped up in a subzero gymnasium to stare at a computer for three hours, many students are beginning to realize their poor performances in their AP classes all year are bound to catch up with them on testing day. However, as someone who passed their AP World exam solely from cramming Heimler’s History videos the night before, it’s safe to say that all hope is not lost.

First and foremost, the most obvious way to score highly on the AP test is to actually pay attention in class. However, at least for this school year, it’s a little too late for that. The next best option is to condense the year’s curriculum into about a week of studying. While unconventional and definitely not a recommended mentality for the beginning of the school year, it’s certainly the best option for students falling behind at this point in the year. Most AP classes are broken up into a number of units or, at least for history, time periods. So, students should dedicate each day before the exam to each unit, leaving the last day before the test to briefly review all units as a whole.

In addition to just studying whatever AP textbook is on hand, there are many online video resources to use as study guides. For example, probably every AP history student swears by Heimler’s review videos. And for those with the willpower to tolerate mild shenanigans and frankly awful dad jokes, his livestreams on Youtube the night before each test allow students all over the world to review and ask questions about whatever material they feel least confident on. More math, science, and English related classes have similar review material on Youtube, detailing what exactly their exams are likely to ask and how to answer in a way that will maximize their scores. And for any type of student who may be cursed with the typical Gen Z attention span, numerous accounts on Tiktok provide short form review content in the form of one minute crash courses, MCQ and FRQ strategies, and helpfully unfunny pop culture memes with connection to class material.

Finally, the majority of AP teachers are already making extreme efforts to help students review. While nobody is safe from the occasional awful teacher who is still teaching new material the day before the test, more often than not this is not the case. Many teachers are more than happy to provide review books, practice quizzes in Collegeboard, and last minute guidance in class. While students may have felt lost for the majority of the year, it’s never too late to lock in.

So, with the right amount of determination, any student can pass the AP test. Just make sure to study, get a good night’s sleep, and wake up ready to reap the benefits of your hard work.