One of the most popular AP’s on campus, AP Psychology is truly enjoyable and I would recommend this to anyone. Despite this class being super fun and educational, there are a few tips an AP Psych alum like me has for the incoming Juniors this year.
Pay attention in class!
Ms. Picard is great at explaining concepts that may confuse you initially. She does a lot of tables, charts, lectures, and hands-on activities, forcing you to understand concepts without feeling burnt out. When she explains brain parts and functions using pneumoics… LISTEN! It is so extremely helpful to recall the things she says in class because, trust me, they will be on the tests. Overall, Ms. Picard does an amazing job giving everyone opportunities to learn and do well in her class and the exam, so take her advice and listen up when she’s talking.
Do your homework!
In this class, there are a lot of homework assignments that will make or break your grade. The notes in particular are helpful for the class overall, but most importantly, to keep your grade high! Your test scores reflect your note-taking quality, so be sure to do your homework on time because the procrastination will sneak up on you.
SLEEP!
I cannot stress this enough… SLEEP! When you get to your sleep and dream unit about halfway through the first semester, you will learn how valuable sleep is to your mental and physical health. The most important life lesson I have learned this year definitely was making sure I am getting enough sleep because it really does help you. Trusting yourself goes along with the sleep dilemma, so if you are paying attention in class, studying for hours into the night will do more harm than good. Sleep directly impacts your ability to do well throughout the day, so do yourself a favor and study ahead of time instead of cramming the night before.