1. AP Multiple Choice Tips & Strategies

2. Before the Test
Get to know the multiple-choice section on your particular AP test.
How much time do you have?
How many questions?
Are there passages or are the questions non-contextual?
Take these things into consideration before the exam and develop and timing method for the test.

3. Example English Literature & Composition Worth 45% of overall score
60 Minutes
55 Questions
5 Passages (9-13 Questions Per Passage Typically)
SO…
~10 Minutes Per Passage
Initial Reading Time – 2-3 Minutes
Question Answering/Rereading Time – 7-8 Minutes

4. Timing and Avoiding Careless Mistakes
Read the directions carefully.
Bring a watch.
Monitor your time so you don’t ever feel rushed.
During the test check the time periodically to keep yourself on time.
Avoid second guessing yourself, the research supports first hunches. Only change if you are sure you misread something or observed information in the text that altered your understanding.
Allow for a buffer period so you can check you have not made any omissions or mistakes.

5. Pacing Yourself Review the selections.
Decide on a plan of attack. There are two options:
If you typically finish multiple-choice passages, review just to get an idea of what is to come and begin work and continue chronologically.
If you have difficulty finishing multiple-choice passages review in order to see where you think your strengths and weaknesses would be with this particular test. Begin on passages you feel more confident about in order to accrue those points toward your total score.
BUT if you are uncomfortable with the idea of going out of order. Don’t. Just do your best. Always do what works for you.

6. Passage Reading Strategies
While no ONE strategy works for everyone here are some strategies that work for many…
Read and mark the passage  Read the questions  Reread passage with an eye on answers
Read the questions first  Read the passage looking for those answers  Answer questions
DO NOT read the answer options when first reviewing the questions for either of the above options. Try to find the answer on your own FIRST before looking.
ALSO
Write on the test! Mark it up!
Read in your head the same way you would aloud. What would you emphasize? What would you focus on if reading aloud? Typically these things are important and deserve emphasis.

7. Tips for Question Response
If the answer is obvious, mark it. If it is not follow these steps:
Eliminate ALL obviously wrong answers.
Eliminate choices where PART of the response is incorrect.
Revisit remaining and decide which seems more correct.
"Look alike options:" One is probably correct; choose the best but eliminate choices that mean basically the same thing, and thus cancel each other out
Echo options: If two options are opposite each other, chances are one of them is correct
Let your subconscious do the work at this point and select the answer you feel is best. Use critical thinking at this point!
Don’t second guess yourself. Research shows the first selected answer is more likely correct than a second selection. Only change if you misread and KNOW you KNOW the correct response.

8. Tips for Question Response
Educated guesses are better than nothing. There is no longer a penalty for wrong answers so NEVER LEAVE A SCANTRON QUESTION BLANK!!!

9. Emergency Situations
Since there is no penalty for guessing, if you find yourself with a passage left and little time remaining, prioritize questions. Start with the short ones. Then go to the ones that ask you to look at specific lines. Then mark the same letter bubble for all the others you didn’t have time to consider.

10. Preparing…what’s next?
Your best defense for doing well on AP exams is to study regularly.
Last minute cramming only fatigues you and causes stress for testing day.
You want the content in your LONG-TERM MEMORY, a process that takes time and repetition.
You have 8 weeks before testing season starts. Make a plan!