How to Pass the Advanced Placement Literature Exam

For students in high school, advanced placement classes mean taking one less college class when they graduate. It also means hard work and hard preparation to pass the test. Advanced Placement Literature is no exception. Here are a few tips to help you pass the AP Literature exam.

Invest in Practice Books: Just like in sports or hobbies, the key to becoming better at something is to practice and practice some more. There are several books available that are filled with past AP Literature tests. I suggest investing in 2-3. The best ones available are from Cliffnotes and Princeton Review. Depending on when you start to study for the exam, it is easy to fit in a test once a week and complete the book in a couple of months. When you take the test, just don not circle answers. Read thoroughly through each passage and question. Also, when you complete a test, take extra time to go through the right answers. Usually the practice books explain why each answer is its correct letter. Taking the time to do this will help you spot out your flaws and improve on later tests.

Read: One in AP Literature should think that reading to prepare for the test would be logical. Do not just read the books your teacher assigns you. Aim to read a book on your own once a week or once every other week. Do not just skim the book either, read it in depth, with a pencil in hand. Reading with a pencil or pen in your hand, so that you are ready to take notes, will help you observe the material better. Look up AP Literature Reading Lists from other schools online. I personally suggest reading anything of Shakespeare, Dickens, The Inferno, Our Eyes Were Watching God, and some poetry. Also a good thing to do after you read a book is to make a flash card of it. On the flash card include small summary, main characters, the theme, and any significant metaphors or allusions. Knowing who wrote the book would also be a good thing to know. Since you may read anywhere from ten to forty books before your test, it is good to have a quick refresher a few weeks before the test.

Learn English Terms: Do you know what syntax, diction, allusion, and hyperbole mean? If you do, that is great. If not, starting asking Webster. These are only a few terms that can be found in questions or passages. Understanding all the English terms well will cut down on any confusion during the test. Also learning more vocabulary and how to use it correctly will benefit you. Improving your vocabulary is easy if you read a lot.

Other Tips: When you go in to the AP Literature test, try to be as relaxed as possible. The more stressed you are the more likely you will do poorly. Also, on the multiple choice selections, read through the questions before reading the passage. It will help you pick up the answers faster. Also, while reading the passage, it will help if you mouth the words as you read.

Taking the AP Literature test is hard. Refrain from studying the night before. You will only stress yourself out more. On the day of the test, eat a breakfast full of protein, fruit, and carbohydrates. This will help you wake up and get your brain going a little bit faster. Bring plenty of sharpened pencils, erasers, and pens. Do your best. Once the test is done, breath easy. Since you will not get your results until summer, try to forget about it until then.