AP English & Composition

1. I think that the reading demands of this course appear to be far more
rigorous than my previous English classes. Some important tips for
managing the amount of reading for this course include getting a head
start, previewing important reading assignments, and rereading difficult
material for understanding. Knowing what the reading assignments are
ahead of time can be a great help in planning out when to have each
reading done in order to stay on track. This way, you know which days or
hours to reserve for completing reading assignments in a timely fashion.
By previewing important assignments, you can make yourself aware of
assignments that are going to be more time consuming than others. Also,
previewing the reading is an excellent way to briefly familiarize yourself
with the text. Old English and complex terminology arent always easy to
comprehend. It is important to reread confusing material and take the
appropriate steps to help yourself understand it, such as: consulting a
dictionary or thesaurus, reading the text aloud, and/or further
researching challenging concepts on credible internet sources.
2. When writing a critical essay it is important to organize your ideas,
relevantly utilize the text provided, generously quote the text, and be sure
that your ideas unfold in a logical manner. Giving yourself the proper
amount of time to gather your ideas is essential for success on the AP
English exam. It is also just as important to remember to make use of the
text provided since it is there for a reason. Citing examples or quotes
pertinent to your essay will help to enrich your writing piece. Avoid
plagiarizing while citing quotes or ideas to support your observations.
Making sure that the flow of ideas is smooth, logical, and continuous is
another helpful tip for the AP English exam. Funneling out of a paragraph
and into the next using transition sentences is one way to maintain a
consistent flow. If you remember to employ these skills, the AP English
exam shouldnt cause you too much trouble.
3. The AP English exam is approximately three hours and fifteen minutes
long. The first hour is comprised of the multiple choice section. This
section is worth 45% of your final grade on the exam. The remaining two
hours and mandatory 15 minute reading period is designated for essay
writing. The essays are worth 55% of the exam grade. I am used to having
time constraints from previous standardized testing. Writing on demand
with a time limit isnt my strongest skill, though. I hope to improve my
critical essay writing skills before the exam in May 2015.
4. Colleges use AP exam scores in order to determine how many college
credits youve earned based on your performance, if any. You may even
be eligible to skip the equivalent courses when you get to college. Scores
in the 3-5 range, fall under the qualified category. Most colleges and
universities will grant the appropriate amount of credit(s) to students
who are qualified. However, it is important to remember that this
decision is solely up to the college or university itself. If you would like to
be considered for credit or placement, send your AP score report to the
colleges you wish to attend. AP scores are simply a marker of how well
you did on the AP exam. This score is also a measure of your achievement
in the AP course.
5. 58.2% of students scored a 3 or better on the 2008 AP English exam.
8.7% of those students scored a 5. I think these percentages indicate that
receiving the highest score possible takes determination and preparation.
This statistic makes me hopeful because it indicates that more than half of
the participants in the 2008 AP English exam were qualified for college
credit. These statistics also make me wonder if the more recent AP exam
participants did worse. As the world becomes more technologically
advanced, more distractions emerge. Based on what I have observed of
my peers, my generation is practically social media reliant. Teenagers my
age are constantly glued to their phones, unable to accomplish tasks like
homework or preparing for exams. It would be interesting to compare the
statistics of 2008 to those of 2013, perhaps.
6. This exam sounds like it is going be challenging so its important to put
in the time and effort into being prepared. I agree with my moms
comment concerning the AP exam. Based on what I already knew about
AP exams and what I learned, they undoubtedly appear rigorous. Time
management is a crucial aspect of success not only for AP examination,
but for cyber school and for life. As Ive learned throughout high school,
doing the best I can requires perseverance and unflagging effort. I plan to
continue to put in the time and effort necessary for doing well and
keeping up with assignments. The journey to success in AP courses and
examination will be an interesting one. I hope to prepare myself as much
as possible for the AP English exam.
7. Now that I have gotten a basic background on the AP English exam, I
think that preparation will be crucial. I am willing to put in the amount of
effort that it takes to do my best. The importance of perseverance and
time management becomes more reinforced in my academic career with
each year. I have a feeling that this year it will be more pertinent than
ever. The AP English exam calls for critical essay writing, which is
currently one of my weaker skills but I hope to make it stronger by May.
Other strategies such as logical flow of paragraphs and organizing ideas
tend to be strengths. I will continue working on my weaknesses and
maintaining my strengths. I hope my effort will pay off when the AP exam
scores come back with a qualified result for college credits.