Melanie wants you to be prepared and calm on May 18th! Episode 29 recAPs test taking tips appropriate to the digital platform.
Melanie wants you to be prepared and calm on May 18th! Episode 29 recAPs test taking tips appropriate to the digital platform. You need to practice timed FRQs in the same location and with the same resources as exam day (1:06). Stop studying and go to bed! (1:45) You can either type or hand write your responses, but don’t work in the redzone (2:40). Keep scrap paper, a calculator and minimal resources nearby during the test (3:50) There won’t be much time to look up answers. Make sure you address the task verbs in the questions with full sentences (5:40). Technical catastrophe on test day - reach out to the CB for a re-test (6:00).
The Question of the Day asks (6:47) T/F - You can complete the two FRQs in any order.
Thank you for listening to The APsolute RecAP: Biology Edition!
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Biology Edition. Today’s episode will recap Test Taking Tips!
Lets Zoom out:
The AP Biology exam will take place on Monday, May 18th - at the exact same time by students all over the world. Make sure to check the College Board website for your specific time zone. The new digital exam is 45 minutes long, includes two FRQs and is only on material from Units 1-6. Because the 2020 exam is open notes, the questions are designed to test your ability to interpret data and apply information to unknown circumstances
Lets Zoom in:
Practice makes comfort. Just like with a standard 3 hour paper exam, applying the information to new scenarios will be emphasized. You need to consistently practice completing questions in as close to the same scenario as the testing day as possible. Find your testing space, clear away distractions, have good lighting and comfortable seating. Complete timed practice FRQs, using the same resource materials you plan to use on exam day. This way, the expectations on May 18th will feel more familiar and less foreign.
It is the night before the exam, and you are panicking, just a smidge. What were Mendel’s laws of heredity? How do CDKs work? Stop studying and go to bed. Trust the time you have put in all year and get some rest. Sleep, nutrition and hydration are now your best friend. When you wake up on the day of the exam, it might be tempting to stay in coronavirus mode, sleeping in and staying in sweatpants. Don’t. Rise and shine, exercize, eat a good breakfast, and get a shower. You want to get in an academic mindset, just as you would for going to school. Spending some time on self care can be that boost of confidence you need. On test day, you will want to log into the platform thirty minutes early to complete the security questions and get your space prepared. Don’t be alarmed if the test doesn’t start EXACTLY on time. The clock is syncronized worldwide and the page will refresh automatically once testing begins.
Let’s review some of the technology needs - this test is digital after all. You can take the AP Bio exam on any device with internet access - computer, tablet, or smartphone. You have the choice to type and upload your responses, or hand write your answer and submit a photo with your cell phone. Keep in mind that whichever device you use to access the exam is the same device you must use to upload your answers. There are five minutes allocated after each FRQ to upload your response. The timer on the exam will begin to flash red when the five minute countdown has started. I know it will be tempting to keep working on the answers in the red zone, but please don’t. Better to earn partial credit than no credit because you didn’t submit your answers. Whichever device you choose - make sure you are fully charged (or better yet plugged in) and have access to a strong Wi-Fi signal or ethernet cable. This is the time to either beg or bribe your family members to not stream or use large amounts of bandwidth during your AP testing window.
What should you have nearby during testing? Keep it simple - scrap paper, calculator and MINIMAL resources. The scrap paper can be used to jot down key phrases, make a quick flow chart or a concept sketch. Just because you are typing your answer, doesn’t mean that a 30 second brain dump won’t be helpful. The 2020 exam may involve calculations, but a calculator is not required this year. You should be able to complete any calculations (like simple ratios) by hand. However, a calculator is allowed. Finally, the open notes dilemma. Open book exams are not easy and these questions are designed where information has to be applied, not regurgitated or copied from a resource. You have to hustle to both think and type your FRQ responses. There won’t be much time to look up information. I recommend making 1 page study sheets on each unit, containing mostly diagrams, that you can reference quickly. Can you google pre-made ones? Sure, but creating your own will be infinitely more useful. So 6 units for AP Bio would be three pages, double sided. I would print these if you can, reserving the screen for the testing platform only.
What not to do - You cannot collaborate with any other person during exam testing. The college board wants to see what you know, not someone else. During the test, don’t communicate with any other person by phone, online, or in-person. Don’t crowd source from social media, forum or group messages. There will be many layers of testing security in place. Make good choices.
It is highly likely that the FRQ questions will follow lengthy prompts including terminology, scientists, organisms, and molecules that you have never studied. It may also include extra information not necessary for your understanding and explanation. You will need to unpack the questions. What is it really asking you? How does it connect to what you already know? Students often find it helpful to skip to the end of the prompt to read the questions first. Then, go back and re-read the scenario knowing what you should be on the lookout for. When responding, be sure to address the task verbs in the question (Explain, predict, justify etc.) That's where the points are earned. Use your words wisely. Be short and impactful with your answers - in full sentences. No bullet points!
OK, what's the worst that could happen? The digital equivalent of “the dog at my homework” - maybe your cat chewed on your power cord? Students who are registered for, but for whatever reason do not access the testing platform on exam day, will automatically be rescheduled for June 3rd. Students who do access the platform, but have a technical or personal catastrophe, will be able to fill out a form with the college board to request a reschedule for June 3rd. Running out of time does not qualify as a testing issue - so make sure you watch that clock!
To recap….
You got this! Many testing strategies you have been practicing all year are still applicable in the new platform. Study in advance, get good sleep, and create manageable resource material. Practice makes comfort, and if the power goes out in your neighborhood 2 minutes before the exam starts? Just breathe - you will be able to ask for a re-test.
Today’s Question of the day is about submissions.
Question “True or False - You can complete the two FRQs in any order.”