In This Chapter
^ Packing the tools you need ^ Following a study schedule ^ Building your confidence ^ Relieving stress
Reparing yourself for the AP exam involves several things, and they are all equally " important. First you should familiarize yourself with AP test (in case you haven’t done so already, check out Chapter 1). In this chapter, we take you a step further by explaining what you need to take with you to the test as well as how to study and mentally prepare for the test.
Taking Your Tools to the Test
Although you’re not packing to go to a remote island in Fiji (albeit, a great visualization skill to use right before the test! See "Practicing visualization" at the end of this chapter), we do want you to put the same amount of thought into what you need to bring and not bring to the test site on test day. Pay special attention to the lists in the following sections. Being prepared in advance will minimize your stress level and assure that you have what you need.
Packing what you need
It’s not advisable to ask the test proctor to wait 20 minutes while you run home to get your forgotten calculator. You definitely need to be sure you have the permitted tools for the test on test day. The night before the test try to pack the following list of items:
Pencils with erasers (#2): Used for the multiple-choice test Black pens (with nonfelt tip): For the free-response questions Your Social Security number: This number identifies you
Your school code: Your school counselor or AP chemistry teacher can give you your school code. The AP folks will give you one if you are home-schooled
Photo I. D.: Just in case they suspect that you paid your neighbor to take the test for you
A watch: You will need to pay close attention to the time
A scientific calculator: For use on the free-response section
Snacks and drinks: Quiet snacks, like soft granola bars, are a better choice than loud snacks like cookies. First, you won’t disrupt others, and second, you won’t come crashing down after a sugar high. Water is a better choice than sugar-filled soda for the same reason.
Appropriate clothing: You don’t know whether there will be an arctic freeze or global warming at the test site, so be prepared for both. Layering your clothes works for either instance.
Tissues: No one wants to be distracted by sleeve wipes or sniffing. Bring something to wipe your nose!
Knowing what not to bring
Ft\NG/ The following list needs just as much attention as the list of what you can bring (see the section above, "Packing what you need"). The below items are some things you definitely Don’t Want to bring. You run the risk of being thrown out of the test site for bringing some of these items, so read closely:
Scratch paper: The AP will let you use portions of the exam booklets to take notes. Notes, books, dictionaries, highlighters, or cheat sheets: Leave it all at home, folks!
Electronic devices like MP3 players, cell phones, beepers, and watches that beep:
No one wants to get interrupted by your Beyonce ringtone.
Your smart, nerdy friend to take the test for you: For some reason they don’t like that substitution.
Energy drinks: Unless you want to come crashing down and have a brain melt, leave them in the fridge.
Needing Special Attention
Normal is so last year. If you require special accommodations to take the AP exam, you are not alone. Not everyone takes the test under the same conditions. You may have special circumstances that require that the test be administered to you in a different way. Here is a brief list of special instances that might warrant an adjustment to the AP chemistry exam:
Learning disabilities: If you have a diagnosed learning disability, you may be able to get special accommodations. You may have extended time, large print, a reader, and frequent breaks, among other things, but you must specifically request learning disability accommodations on your application form. The accommodations you request will depend on your specific, diagnosed learning disability. You should make sure that your school has a SSD (Services for Students with Disabilities) Coordinator’s Form on file with the College Board. You must fill out this form and send it to the College Board. Allow seven weeks for the pros at College Board to review your request.
To get special testing
• You must have been formally diagnosed with a learning disability by a professional.
• You must have a current, individualized educational plan at school.
• In most cases, the evaluation and diagnostic testing should have taken place within five years of the request for accommodations.
• You must also describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis, including test results with subtest scores.
• Your best bet is to log on to the College Board Web site (Www. collegeboard. com/ssd/student/index. html) To see all up-to-the-minute requirements for accommodations.
Physical disabilities: If you have a physical disability, you may be allowed to take a test in a special format — in Braille, in large print, or on an audio cassette or CD. Follow the same instructions detailed above to request accommodations, and if you have further questions contact the College Board directly for more information.
Religious obligations: If your religion prohibits you from taking a test on a specific day, you may test on an alternate date. Again, the College Board folks can guide you in the right direction for alternate dates.
Military duty: If you’re an active military person you don’t need to complete the normal registration form. Instead, ask your Educational Services Officer about the testing through DANTES (Defense Activity for Non Traditional Educational Support).
Using Long-Term Strategies for Training and Survival
When you decide to take the AP chemistry exam you’re basically committed to getting hitched. Think of the test day as your wedding day and the months leading up to it your engagement. You can consider the day after the test your divorce date, if you will, but for all intents and purposes, you are pretty darn committed to nurturing your AP perpetual partner until then.
You need to plan about ten months in advance for this test. You cannot study for this test like you might a regular test in an ordinary class. In other words, you can’t cram — it just plain doesn’t work for the AP tests. The AP people are a smart group — they know how to ask questions in such a way as to eliminate (or not "qualify") the students who didn’t plan in advance, and simply stayed up all night with a few cans of Red Bull as support. About now, you may be wondering what you should be doing for those ten months. Well, don’t despair: We’ve outlined the entire ten months for you in the following sections. Consider us your AP wedding planners!
Early planning
The early-planning phase takes you from September to October. In the following list, we’ve given you some solid ideas on what to do during each month as you plan for your upcoming exam:
September: As soon as you are able, enroll in an AP chemistry class. If your school doesn’t offer one, speak with your counselor and see if there is a community college chemistry course you could take. If an AP course is not available to you, get your hands on a college level chemistry textbook, but keep in mind that nothing comes close to a passionate teacher teaching you the concepts face-to-face.
I November: Because you’ve been studying chemistry for a few months, you should be ready to take a diagnostic test. You can use one of the sample tests in this book or you can go to Www. collegeboard. com And find some there. Taking such tests gives you an early indicator of your strengths and weaknesses, which can help guide your studying
In the months to come. Your first diagnostic score can also help to identify what concepts you need to pay more attention to in this book.
I December: Begin reading this book from the beginning. You will find that being in the classroom for the last four months has provided you a wealth of information. You should already be familiar with many of the concepts covered in the first third of this book.
Midyear planning
You lay the groundwork for taking the exam in the earlier stages of planning to discover your strengths and weaknesses. Although you’ve been honing your knowledge and skills the last four months, you still need to continue to prepare from January to May:
I January through March: Continue reviewing this book and take another practice test in early March. You still have two months before your wedding day, so your score on this test will help you pinpoint further concepts from this book that you might still need to review or re-review.
I April and May: Take another practice test in early May. Make this your last practice test. Whatever you do, Do not Take another practice test the week of the real test. Like a long-distance runner who has been preparing all year for the big race, she doesn’t do the race right before the race!
Up-to-the-minute planning
Last-minute planning does not equal cramming! For ten months, you should’ve been preparing for your exam, and the last few days and minutes count as well. Make the best use of your final time before the test by following this schedule:
I The night before the test: Relax the night before the test. You might be tempted to pull an all-nighter, but our experience has proven that if you don’t know the material the night before the test, you aren’t going to learn it the night before the test. Pamper your brain instead by eating a good dinner, watching a movie, reading a good book. If you want to glance at this book one last time, that’s cool, but just don’t turn it into a cram-fest.
I The morning of the test: Listen to your mama and eat breakfast, please. We know you may be nervous and your appetite might be slim, but your brain needs the energy. If you’re too nervous, or Heaven forbid, you’ve gotten up late, consider bringing some healthy breakfast items for the car ride. It can actually help keep your mind less stressed.
I Test day: Take the test.
June: Wait patiently for your score. . . very patiently. Did we mention to wait Patiently?
Feeling Confident: It’s All in Your Head
You have been studying and preparing for this test for a long time. You know more than you think you do. You might not remember every single detail of every single concept, but you know at least something about something. If you come to the test feeling completely insecure, please remind yourself that you did the work, you studied, and you will be fine.
Anticipating the outcome
Like we have been saying throughout this chapter, the AP exam tests core concepts and material. There are no surprises. After finishing this book, you will have been exposed to all the material you need to excel on this test. Anticipate the best possible outcome.
Remembering: This is a test… This is only a test
Listen, your score on the AP test is not going to change your life. It’s not a do-or-die type of experience. Your life’s success is not tied into the outcome of this test. Treat this test as you would treat any other test you have taken (you’ve taken hundreds, right?). And don’t worry, you don’t know the AP folks. They are not going to snicker as you walk by and say under their breath, "There goes the one that didn’t know what Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressure was." Although the AP guys don’t know you, we realize that your peers do. And it’s inevitable that "score gossip" will creep into your conversations with your friends. Comparing scores is not advisable, as it creates stress and underlying feelings about your chemistry capabilities. Remembering that this is only a test and not a life-defining moment will help you stay balanced and keep it all in perspective.
Surviving During the Test with These Four Stress-Busters
It’s completely normal to feel some fear the day of the test. Everyone does. Research has shown us that a little anxiety is actually good for the brain. A touch of anxiety helps the brain stay ultra-focused and attentive. A little anxiety tells the brain, "Hey, brain, if I’m feeling this way, whatever I’m doing must be important, so I better stay alert." However, excess anxiety and panic actually have the opposite effect. High levels of fear make the brain go into flight-or-fight mode. Your brain tells your body to conserve your higher-order thinking skills in an effort to send extra physical strength to the body in case of emergency. So, if you’re feeling too much anxiety during the test, here are some stress-busters that will calm those nerves.
Counting to four
Breathing is grossly underrated. Take a deep breath until your belly expands, hold it in four counts, and then expel the air for four counts. Be sure not to exhale like you’re in the middle of an aerobic workout so as not to disturb the other test-takers. Oh, and some breath mints wouldn’t hurt either.
Try not to take shallow breaths, which can cause you to become even more anxious because your body is deprived of oxygen. Hyperventilating or sucking on your inhaler during the exam is grossly overrated.
Stretching
Several stretches can help relieve stress and make your body feel more relaxed and comfortable. Do the practices in the list discretely so you don’t disrupt others around you — in other words, refrain from doing the downward-dog position from your yoga class:
I Rotate your head around to stretch out and relax your neck muscles. (We suggest keeping your eyes closed so the proctor doesn’t think you are trying to cheat.)
I Hunch and roll your shoulders to help relax your back and spine. You’ll be sitting for quite some time, so maintaining good posture is crucial.
I Shake out your hands like you have writer’s cramp. Imagine that all your tension and stress is going out through your fingertips.
I Extend and push out your legs like you’re pushing something away with your heels.
I With your legs stretched out in front of you, point your toes back toward your knees and hold that position for a count of three.
Right before the exam or during a short break, practice creative visualization. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the test room cheerfully looking at questions that you know the answer to, filling in the answers, finishing early, and double-checking your work. Picture yourself leaving the exam room full of energy, and then getting your score and rejoicing. Think of how proud of you your parents are (if thinking about them stresses you out leave this one alone). Imagine not having to take early chemistry in college. The goal is to associate the AP exam with feelings of joy.
Any time you feel yourself starting to panic or think negative thoughts, make a conscious decision to
1. Say to yourself, "Stop, self! Don’t dwell on anything negative."
2. Drop that negative thought like a hot Bunsen burner.
3. Then switch over to a positive train of thought.
For example, suppose you catch yourself thinking, "Why didn’t I pay more attention to chemical equilibrium?" Change that script to, "I’ve got most of this right, maybe I’ll get this right, too. No sense worrying now, overall I’m rocking my world!"
Practicing visualization
Don’t do this visualization exercise during the test. You’ll just waste time and lose concentration.
Stop, drop, and, change your mind
In This Chapter
^ Making sure the exam is right for you
^ Breaking down the exam into all its parts
^ Ticking through the topics covered on the exam
^ Acing the questions
^ Understanding your score
Th
‘ust the words "Advanced Placement" can bring about trembling fits of fear in even ■ the best of Chemistry students. The good ‘ol folks at the Educational Testing Service (ETS) — the company hired by the College Board to write and grade the AP exams — have been disseminating this fear for over 50 years, and they’ve had the time to get quite good at it. Consider this chapter your best bet at releasing your fear, getting some early college credit, and planning what to do with all the free time you’ll have in college by not having to take an intro chemistry course.
As you get intimate with the AP test, you will become familiar with why you should (or shouldn’t) take this test, the test’s structure, how you will be scored, and how to plan your time effectively. In this chapter we uncover the often-overlooked strategies for taking the exam itself.
You already know a whole bunch about chemistry. After all, you’ve probably spent the best part of this year listening eagerly to your high school chemistry teacher (in between texting your friend and downloading the latest Modest Mouse tune). Of course, nothing takes the place of full comprehension of the material, but knowing chemistry is only part of the puzzle (albeit a really big part). We can show you some other things that you can do to help raise your score that have little to do with chemistry. So sit back, relax, and let us show you the way.
Seeing If You Have the Right Stuff
Taking the AP exam sends out a beacon to the folks at any college that you believe you can think and perform on the college level, but can you? Although taking an AP chemistry course is not a prerequisite to taking the AP chemistry exam, we highly recommend that you do. Plus, you must be honest with yourself. If you received poor grades in chemistry in high school and could care less about stoichiometry, or if you accidentally blew up your high school chem lab by combining various chemicals, you might want to consider spending your time in an area you truly enjoy (perhaps a money-making vocation where you can pay for that lab to be rebuilt).
However, check out what your high score on the AP exam (see "Getting the Skinny on the Scoring," later in this chapter) can get you:
You prove to the college that you understand advanced material and already possess what it takes to be successful in college. Well, go you!
You have the opportunity to receive credit or advanced standings at most universities around the country. In plain English, this means you can sleep in a bit, because you won’t have to take an intro chemistry class in college because you already proved that you know this stuff! Even better, if you aren’t planning on studying science in college, you probably won’t ever have to take another science class again! Yippee!
Those smart AP creators have AP tests in a variety of different subjects, so if you’re not sure about your dedication to this particular test, you might want to visit their Web site and glance at the other subjects they offer. If you’re just taking the AP chemistry class and don’t plan on taking the exam at the end, then that’s cool too. Skip this chapter and use the rest of the book for succeeding in the AP chemistry class.
Knowing the Breakdown — So You Don’t Have One!
Considering that the AP folks don’t provide anti-anxiety salt licks as you walk into the exam, knowing the breakdown of the exam ahead of time prepares you for what you’re up against and makes you more confident so that you’re better relaxed to take the exam.
The AP Chemistry exam takes three hours and includes two sections; a 90-minute, 75-question, multiple-choice section and a 95-minute, 6-question, free-response section. We explain these sections further in the sections that follow.
Making your Way through multiple-choice questions: Section 1
You can’t use a calculator on the multiple-choice section. With the recent capabilities of graphing calculators, it could probably take the test for you! The AP higher-ups figured this one out a long time ago.
You have to answer (or try to answer) 75 questions on the multiple-choice section. Each question has five possible answer choices. We have a feeling that the AP creators couldn’t agree on what to put on the exam, so they just tossed everything into it. The questions you will encounter cover a large amount of material. Not all students will be exposed to all the material that the test may cover, so don’t be surprised to see topics that may be unfamiliar to you. You can expect basic factual questions as well as heavy-duty, thought-provoking problems, including 10 to 12 math problems to be done without a calculator. This section is worth 50 percent of your score.
You will only have about 1.2 minutes to answer each question. If you don’t know the immediate answer, skip the problem and move on.
Taking on free-response questions: Section 2
The second section of the exam consists of free-response questions. You will find a total of six questions:
Three quantitative problems (one on chemical equilibrium) lasting 55 minutes.
One of the questions will be on chemical reactions, which will require you to write balanced net equations for chemical reactions.
^ Reaction question and two essay questions lasting 40 minutes.
I One of the six questions will be a laboratory-based question that could be located in either the quantitative section or the essay section, so pay close attention when we cover labs throughout this book because the lab question could be on anything.
The free-response questions are long, make no bones about it. They will require you to demonstrate your problem-solving skills, show knowledge of chemical reactions, and question your ability to reason and explain ideas logically and clearly. They are broken down into multiple parts. Basically, the test will ask you multiple questions about the concept and require you to show concept mastery.
You won’t be given an incomprehensible topic for any of the free-response questions. You will be asked to solve a fairly basic chemistry concept, but they will want you to go into detail and ask you several different questions about it. There will be formulas to use and numbers to work with. Although the free-response questions are long and daunting, they’re not there to trick you. The multiple parts often help to lead you to the right way to tackle the problem. The AP people want to see your true chemistry acumen, and this is the best way to assess that. We will discuss how to tackle free-response problems later in this chapter.
You can use certain tools during this portion of the test. The following list shows you what you can bring in and what the AP folks provide, as well as the restrictions on these tools:
^ Calculators: You can use your calculator for the first 55 minutes of the free-response section, but you can’t share your calculator with another student. The AP folks also restrict which calculators you can use on the AP test. Because technology changes so rapidly, you should check the College Board Web site (Www. collegeboard. com) For an up-to-the-minute list of acceptable calculators.
^ Tables containing commonly used equations: You can use these tables only during the free-response section. You can’t use them on the multiple-choice section. The free-response section requires you to solve in-depth problems and to write essays where the knowledge of the concepts and how to apply the principles are the most important parts of solving the problem. The College Board gives everybody the table of equations to make it fair for the students who may not have the equations stored in their calculators. The AP folks have some heart, after all! But remember, because the test gives you the equations, you will receive no credit for answers simply written down in equation form without supported explanations or some type of logical development.
Tackling the Topics Covered
Before the AP exam was written, a few geeky chemists studied the chemistry curricula of many of the nation’s best colleges. They combined their reports and came away with a clear idea of the stuff being taught to chemistry college students around the country. The end result culminated in the AP chemistry exam covering five key areas, and because we’re
Obsessive about making sure you’re the most informed you can be (and because we’re control freaks), we’ve outlined each area for you below:
IU Structure of matter (20 percent of test; see Chapters 3 through 8):
• Atomic theory and atomic structure: Evidence for the atomic theory; atomic masses; atomic number and mass numbers; electron energy levels; periodic relationships
• Chemical bonding: Binding forces; molecular models, geometry of molecules and ions, structural isomerism of simple organic molecules and coordination complexes
• Nuclear chemistry: nuclear equations, half-lives and radioactivity I States of matter (20 percent of test; see Chapters 9 through 12):
• Gases: Laws of ideal gases; kinetic molecular theory
• Liquids and solids: Liquids and solids from the kinetic-molecular viewpoint; phase diagrams of one component systems; changes of state, including critical points and triple points; structure of solids
• Solutions: Types of solutions and factors affecting solubility; methods of expressing concentration; Raoult’s law and colligative properties; nonideal behavior
I Reactions (35 to 40 percent of test; see Chapters 13 through 22):
• Reaction types: Acid-base reactions; precipitation reactions; oxidation-reduction reactions
• Stoichiometry: Ionic and molecular species present in chemical systems; balancing of equations including those for redox reactions; mass and volume relations
• Equilibrium: Concept of dynamic equilibrium, physical and chemical; quantitative treatment
• Kinetics: Concept of rate of reaction; use of experimental data and graphical analysis to determine reactant order, rate constants, and reaction rate laws; effect of temperature change on rates; energy of activation; relationship between the rate-determining step and a mechanism
• Thermodynamics: State functions; first law; second law; relationship of change in free energy to equilibrium constants and electrode potentials
I Descriptive chemistry (10 to 15 percent of test; see Chapters 23 to 27): Relationships in the periodic table (periodicity); chemical reactivity and products of chemical reactions; introduction to organic chemistry
I Laboratory (5 to 10 percent of test; see Chapters 27 and 28): Making observations of chemical reactions and substances; recording data; interpreting results; communicating the results
Understanding the AP Test Questions
The AP chemistry test offers no surprises. Every question covers one or more basic fundamental chemistry concept, tests you on your knowledge of the five areas described in the section above, "Tackling the Topics Covered." Following the basic guidelines in this section helps you tackle the multiple-choice and free-response sections of the exam.
Making sense of multiple choice
Of the two parts of this test, the multiple-choice part is easiest because the correct answer is staring you right in your face; you just need to find it. In the following sections, we describe the different setups of multiple-choice questions, and we’ve also included a section that shows you some educated-guessing techniques to help you whittle down the obvious wrong answers.
Clearing out the "crowded" questions
Basically, there are three types of multiple-choice questions. The first type of questions you encounter we call "crowded together" questions. These are the easiest because they take very limited time to complete. With crowded together questions, you get some information upfront lettered A through E. After this information, you get two to three questions pertaining to the initial A through E information. You just pick the correct letter choice to solve the questions.
Standing out from the crowd: Dealing with "loner" questions
Another type of question that makes up much of the multiple-choice questions we like to call "loner questions." Each loner question covers only one lonely topic at a time. You’re presented with a question providing you with the information you need to complete the problem, usually five possible choices, again lettered A through E.
Putting a spin on interpretative questions
The interpretation questions do not occur very often, but they’re important to know about. Basically, the interpretation questions take two somewhat related loner questions and stuff them together and then ask you two or more questions about the information. You are given a graph, diagram, or data table, and are then asked two questions about the presented visual.
BEll
Getting through the questions… With as many right answers as possible
The AP test creators throw everything at you at once, so don’t think that the test starts easy and gets more difficult — it doesn’t. Manage your time on the text using these tips:
I Short questions: Answer the questions that are the shortest first, leaving more time for you to put a little more time into the longer, more intense questions.
I Easy questions: Answer the questions that make you want to smile first (the concepts you know the most about), and leave the questions that make you want to vomit for last.
I Educated guessing: Educated guessing is a good thing. Eliminating even one possible answer increases your choices of hitting the right one. You don’t get penalized for leaving an answer blank, but you do get a fraction (>4) removed from your score for a wrong answer. On the other hand, guessing correctly earns you a full point. In other words, completely random guessing neither hurts nor harms you. Educated guessing helps you. If you don’t know how to solve the problem but want to make an educated guess, keep these ideas in mind to make the best possible educated guess:
• Take a quick glance through the possible answers.
• The AP folks are not trying to trick you, so if something looks blatantly wrong, it probably is. So you’re probably safe to eliminate it.
• Eliminate the answers that don’t seem to match up to the question.
• Eliminate answers that appear too close to the actual question.
Finagling the free-response questions
The free-response section takes 95 minutes and has six questions divided into two parts:
IU Part A: Part A takes 55 minutes, in which you answer three questions for which you’re allowed to use your calculator. Part A covers one equilibrium problem and two other problems.
IU Part B: Part B takes 40 minutes and covers the last three questions, one being a reactions question and the other two being essay questions. A lab question is thrown in the mix somewhere. Calculators are Not Permitted in Part B.
Part A counts for 60 percent of your score in the free-response section with each question counting 20 percent. Spending a little extra time in Part A is worth it.
The test giVeth…
Before you begin the free-response section, you are given a plethora of information:
IU You will be bombarded with four, highly coveted pages of chemistry-related material, consisting of a whole bunch of equations and constants covering atomic structure, equilibrium, thermochemistry, liquids, gases, solutions, oxidation-reduction, and electrochemistry.
IU You will also receive a limited periodic table and a reduction potential table.
Right now, you might be thinking, "Cool, I’ll be getting all the info I need to solve the problems." But, when you get to the test site and look at the questions, you’ll soon realize that the good AP pros didn’t just give you Only The info you need, but they also gave you a ton more than you’ll ever use on the test. So, even though you have information to take from, you still need to be chem smart to know when and where to use the info given to you.
Breathing easy by knowing what to expect
On the free-response portion of the exam, you need to answer the questions in your own logical words and commit to your answers. The topics on the AP exam refer to general chemistry topics, so rest assured that the AP pros won’t toss some rarely taught concept your way to see if they can throw you a curve ball and screw up your game.
Most questions have multiple parts. You’ll first encounter some type of initial chemistry information (it could be a figure, a graph or a concept) and then see questions labeled a, b, c, and so on. Each of these subquestions requires you to write an answer of at least a sentence and sometimes a paragraph or two or to give a multistep equation as your answer.
You have approximately 18 minutes (three problems in 55 minutes) and 13 minutes (three problems in 40 minutes) to complete each free-response problem.
Putting partial answers into practice
Don’t be stingy with your answers! Partial credit is given for saying at least Something Right in the answer. You receive points for writing certain correct portions of the answer, so take your time, write all you know, and do not rush. However, be sure what you write is relevant to the question. No points are given for writing about chemistry in general when the subject is sodium chloride.
If you come across a problem that freaks you out, remind yourself that there must be some part of the subquestion that you’re more familiar with. Read the entire problem before starting it. Do not skip a problem simply because the vomit feeling is welling up inside of you. Take a deep breath, scan for any part of the question that you might be able to write about, and begin writing. You can still get a fairly high score even when you receive only partial credit for certain subquestions.
More tips directly from the source
The College Board is nice enough to offer some tips of its own. In the following list, we offer you a condensed version of these tips to make your life easier:
I Show all your work: Partial credit is given for partial solutions.
I If you do work that is incorrect, simply put an X through it: Don’t take the time to erase.
I Organize your answers clearly: If the scorers cannot follow your reasoning, they might not give you credit.
IU You do not need to simplify, but if you’re asked to calculate, you must simplify all numerical expressions or carry out all numerical calculations to get credit.
IU Do not use what they call a "scattershot" approach: Avoid writing a whole bunch of equations or nonsense, hoping that that one among them will be correct.
Getting the Skinny on the Scoring
While you wait patiently to find out if you’re a genius, the secret scorers are busy at work squinting their eyes, rubbing their chins, and contemplating your entire chemistry future. You ultimately receive a score between 1 and 5. We know, after all the hard work you did, the hours of studying, and the sweating at the exam, the highest score you can receive is a measly 5! The nerve of those people!
While those AP pros might not be the most creative bunch of folk, they did do a lot of researching to figure out how to score you. They periodically compare the performance of AP students with that of college students tested on the same material. It comes down to this:
IU A score of 5 On the AP test is comparable to a college student’s earning an A in his college-level chemistry course.
IU A score of 4 Equates to B in a college course, and so on.
IU A score of 3 or higher Equates to a C in college and could still qualify you for college credit. Anything less than a 3 won’t qualify you.
But the College Board likes the word "qualified" so here’s how it puts it:
5 — Extremely well qualified
4 — Well qualified
3 — Qualified
2 — Possibly qualified
1 — No recommendation
You might be wondering how they come up with the 1 to 5 score. If you weren’t wondering, well, we were, and we figured while we’re at it that we might as well make the information available to you.
The multiple-choice section is scored by a computer. The answer sheets are scanned and the computer adds the number of correct responses and subtracts a fraction for each wrong answer. You don’t get penalized for answers left blank, but you subtract a fraction from your score for each wrong answer. Thus, make only educated guesses (see the section, " Getting through the questions. . . with as many right answers as possible" for more on making educated guesses.)
The free-response section is scored by real, live people during the first half of June. Really, they’re living, breathing people. Basically, major special college professors and veteran super-duper AP teachers come together in the summer and have an AP scoring party. They all gather, distribute their pocket protectors, and get down to the fun of reading your responses.
The scores from the multiple-choice section and free-response section are combined to give you a composite score.