How to set study goals for your AP exams

AP classes are in full swing, and it'll be exam time before you know it. So how can you use the time you have now to set attainable study goals and reach your full potential on your APs? It's all about being S.M.A.R.T.

Be S.M.A.R.T.! Set achievable study goals.

Achieving 5s on your AP exams requires not only  mapping out a study timeline,  but also setting effective study goals. Instead of studying “harder,” make your studying more focused and productive by setting S.M.A.R.T. goals. SMART goals are…

• The more clear and particular your goal, the easier you’ll find it to focus on.
• While, “I will do better in my class,” is a good sentiment, aim instead for something more concrete—a smaller, more immediate goal, such as, “I will update my notecards with key terms from the new chapter” or “I will attend study group.”

• Whether it’s a higher letter grade on a test, or a taller stack of flashcards, you should have quantifiable signs of progress.
• Not only do clear measures of progress tell you that you’re on the right track, they can also keep your morale up between now and the end of the school year.

• In other words, goals should be realistic and attainable. Be honest about the challenges you’re up against, without being too hard on yourself.
• For instance, you might want to go from a C+ on your last paper to an A+ on your next, but that’s such an ambitious goal. Avoid getting discouraged; shoot for a B before you go for the A.

• Of course, the short-term goals you set should align with your long-term ones. So, what you accomplish each day for class should be relevant to that 5 you covet on the AP test.
• But your goals, short or long, should also matter to you. Keep in sight why you want to study. Is there a college you hope to attend, a career you hope that might lead to, or even just something you hope to create? Remind yourself how success in your classes and on the APs will lead to what you want.

• Every project needs a deadline.
• Ask and answer these questions: “What can I do next month?” “Next week?” “Today?”
  
  

But don't overdo it!

Yes, it’s a cliché—it’s a marathon, not a sprint. While it’s good to have ambitious goals, avoid making a study schedule that’s so ambitious it will either burn you out or be so daunting that you give up before you start. Do aspire, but (to turn another cliché) keep your appetite no bigger than your stomach.

And treat yourself.

Every day, at least once a day, do something you love. For once, read something with zero literary merit. Or go to the park, watch an hour of trashy TV, build a model of an anime robot, lie down on the roof and stare up at the night sky. The more pointless, the better.

If you're reading this early in the semester, AP tests probably seem like they’re a long way off, and the months ahead may look grueling. It’s true, there’s hard work ahead of you. But following the steps above will help you enjoy life along the way and maintain a healthy school-life balance in the days and weeks ahead.

Need more individualized advice?

The recommendations above are general suggestions. If you have specific questions, reach out to our experts here. We’re happy to help in any way we can.

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