With AP test season on the horizon, many around West High are preparing themselves to study for their various classes. But what is the best way to study for this kind of comprehensive test? Members of Best of West, a student-to-student tutoring club, have plenty of experience helping others with classwork and offered their favorite tips and tricks for nailing your tests this spring.
“The best way to make sure you remember something is to teach it to someone else,” Olivia King ’25 said, recommending teaching concepts within classes to a friend, pet or even yourself in the mirror.
“I am also a really big fan of mnemonics,” King explained, “which is when you assign letters or a nice little figure of speech to something in order to remember it.”
Don’t wait until the last minute, don’t wait til the last day, and make sure to get sleep
— Abby Guo ’25
Another useful tip can be finding a favorite spot to study in, whether that’s a cozy corner of where you live or a local coffee shop.
“I have a rocking chair next to my window, and I sit in my rocking chair with my knitted blanket and I have my little iced coffee and [I] type away. You can trick your brain into thinking that it’s fun,” King said.
“I like studying downtown, like Java House. Coffee shops are nice for me,” said Abby Guo, ’25. She recommends getting a head start on studying and getting rest.
“Don’t wait until the last minute, don’t wait til the last day, and make sure to get sleep. I know it’s probably really repetitive, but make sure to get sleep the night before. Don’t pull an all-nighter studying. That’s not a good idea,” Guo said.
Murdoch University in Australia agrees with Guo, not only recommending that you get a good night’s sleep, but suggesting to “avoid using your phone, laptop or tablet about 30 minutes before you head to bed” to avoid exposure to blue light.
Eva Esch ’24 enjoys studying in both the Coralville and University of Iowa libraries and recommends studying with regularity.
“I think the biggest tip I have is just consistency, finding a routine to study and just keeping with it. It’s mostly about finding a method that works for you.”
“Start early, do a little bit at a time, and a little bit of work every day adds up. So don’t be discouraged by the massive amounts of work, just try and start early.”
— Sigrid Rossi ’24
Not all studying has to be done outside of school. Juliana Epping ’24 recommends taking advantage of the resources available in school and paying attention in class.
“I would say, review your notes and [use] any testing materials they give you, like if teachers give you a big review or something like that, and do the work in class.”
Overall, while the amount of material to be reviewed can appear daunting, Sigrid Rossi ’24 advises that the best way to tackle it is just bit by bit.
“Start early, do a little bit at a time, and a little bit of work every day adds up. So don’t be discouraged by the massive amounts of work, just try and start early,” Rossi said.
