Introduction The AP Statistics exam is one of the most historically underestimated AP exams for high school students across the years, and 2024 is no different.

That is why today, regardless of your math abilities, we will be guiding you through exactly what you should do in order to score a perfect 5 on the exam.

What is AP Statistics?

Should I Even Take the Exam?

AP Statistics is a university-level course that outlines rudimentary statistics concepts before building upon them.

The course is extremely calculator-heavy, and has been affectionately dubbed as "AP Calculator" by past pupils.

The course covers a wide variety of topics regarding probability, data points distributions, graphs, etc.

Most students choose to take this course during either their junior or seniors year of high school, and it is a much easier alternative or follow up to AP Calculus AB/BC.

It also gives you college credit.

Typically, many colleges require either statistics or calculus of at least one semester (with engineering or finance majors requiring more) in order to graduate, and by scoring well (a 3, 4, or 5 would be a passing score with some college demanding either a 4 or 5) on the exam, students are able to skip a semester of statistics (and maybe even graduate early) in college!

Now I know what some of you parents reading this article may be thinking.

I don't want my student skipping school?!

This sounds like a terrible idea!

However, what you are thinking of "skipping" is more accurately described as "replacing".

You see, by bypassing this elementary statistics requirement, students are able to replace that class with more invigorating or challenging coursework that pertains to their major and would be much more enjoyable to them.

This could come in the form of a more difficult statistics course for STEM majors or a separate humanities or liberal arts course for non-STEM majors to take in place.

The point is, taking this exam is worth it.

One may argue that it is even more beneficial of an exam to take than AP Calculus AB/BC, as it is regarded as slightly easier and with equivalent benefits long term.

Additionally, as is the case with any other AP exam, doing well and being able to boast your score to colleges will only help your admissions chances.

Albeit not by much and only for Juniors taking the exam, the more perfect scores you send the way of college admissions officers, the more confident they feel in your ability to succeed on their campus.

Besides, if you like math, see this as a challenge for you to prove your abilities and engage in some riveting mental stimulation.

Even if "riveting" isn't the word you would use to describe the experience, maybe "worth it" will be when scores come out in June.

AP Statistics

- What is On the Exam?

So you want to take the AP Statistics exam.

Great.

What can you expect to be on it?

Keep in mind before you view the format that some of the topics covered in your own Statistics class may not be on the exam, so good for you!

More focused studying is never a complaint from high schoolers preparing for tests.

According to college board, the test has two sections: Section I: Multiple Choice 40 Questions | 1 Hour 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score Individual questions or sets of questions based on a shared prompt Topics: One-Variable Data, Two-Variable Data, Collecting Data, Probability, Sample Distributions, Proportions, Quantitative Data, Mean/Median/Mode/Range/Standard Deviation/IQR/Outliers, Chi-Squares, Slopes, Real-World Application (what do the trends in a graph mean about a scenario?) Section II: Free Response 6 Questions | 1 Hour 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score Part A: 1 multipart question with a primary focus on collecting data 1 multipart question with a primary focus on exploring data 1 multipart question with a primary focus on probability and sampling distributions 1 question with a primary focus on inference 1 question that combines 2 or more skill categories Part B: 1 investigative task that assesses multiple skill categories and content areas, focusing on the application of skills and content in new contexts or in non-routine ways How to Study for the AP Statistics Exam Now that you know what is on the exam, how should go about studying for it?

Well, the answer is simple: practice, practice, practice.

But not just any practice

- you must employ a specific practice routine that ensures success.

First thing's first, you MUST ensure that you understand ALL the material at hand.

If you don't understand a specific topic or subtopic, ask your math teacher for help or watch videos through Khan Academy or YouTube that help clarify the topic.

Then, for all of these specific topics, do not broaden your scope and just prioritize completing problems on the exact issue you are facing.

For example, if you are having trouble with figuring out how to describe the center and spread of a graph, don't simply practice problems with graphs that ask for a full description of the distribution.

Instead, focus your attention specifically at identifying the center and spread of many different graphs, checking your work and answers along the way to make sure that you are on the right track.

Only once you are confident in your abilities to do this should you move on to other overarching problems targeting facets such as identifying IQR, shape, etc.

Of course this is just an example, but you should follow this model for any other types of questions by targeting and practicing a specific issue that you are facing before broadening your view.

This can also come in the form of finding a multitude of different problems, practicing identifying the first step that you should take in order to solve them, and then moving on to the next problem.

Typically, students struggle with figuring out the general outlines or first steps that they need to take, so once that foundation is solidified the rest of the question comes easily.

Next, once you've done this for all of the topics that were not lucid to you, take as many practice tests as you can.

Once again, if past college board practice tests aren't doing the trick for you, seek out practice exams in Khan Academy or ask your math teacher for some.

You could even make your own or generate some with AI (although I will warn you, it is not always the most accurate so this should be a last resort).

Only after you feel confident with what you've practiced and are so incredibly mind-numbed that you could calculate residuals of regression plots in your sleep should you take a break.

It will be hard, it will be painful, but trust me it will be worth it.

As they say

- better now than later!

Overall, your strategy should be to make sure you know everything, and then to make sure you know it all well.

As esteemed Hungarian born mathematician Paul Halmos once elegantly put it, The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.

Final Thoughts: What to Do on Exam Day You made it to exam day.

You're ready, and now is not the time to second guess your abilities.

You have done everything in your power until this day to ensure success, and even if you haven't, it is not the time to start and give yourself a miniature heart attack.

Instead, the morning of the exam, focus your attention on ensuring that all of your materials are ready.

This includes MULTIPLE pencils, MULTIPLE erasers, and a graphing or statistics calculator that you are comfortable using and that is approved by college board.

Ensure that your calculator has a working battery and make sure to check if it is allowed IN ADVANCE, or you better hope that your math teacher has an extra.

On top of that, try packing a snack for before the test to supply you with that last minute energy boost.

Now, as a student myself, I know that you may be groaning at that piece of advice.

I personally have a knot formed in my stomach every time before a critical exam, one that even the most fibrous of granola bars doesn't make it through.

However, if you are ALSO like me, food that doesn't necessarily have to be healthy, when consumed at periodic moments throughout the day, delivers massive rushes of dopamine to the brain.

That dopamine, coupled with a few deep breaths and moments of closing one's eyes and resting one's mind before the exam, is what pumps people up and gets them hyper-focused for an exam.

Capitalize on that.

Additionally, if at any point before the exam, you realize that you forgot how to use Z values on your calculator or compute probability distributions, don't freak out.

You caught yourself before the test, and should be relieved!

Just calmly find a YouTube video online and watch a tutorial on how to do that specific concept.

In most cases, it would be something that you already knew how to do that nerves drained out of you, and recognition of how to do it will come almost instantly.

Finally, if you still have waves of anxiety flowing through your body, try to put things into perspective.

If you don't get the score that you want, you don't have to send it to colleges.

It's not the end of the world, and will not significantly affect your admissions chances anyways!

Besides, everybody knows that AP tests aren't the best measure of your intelligence anyways, as they are often skewed by College Board and are ultimately just a ploy to make money.

So relax

- you've got this!

Go get that

5. Go show yourself what you've got left inside of you.

Let's do some math.

Resource: How to Get Better at Math Congratulations!

You survived AP Statistics, or at least you will now that you've made it through this article.

But don't count your chickens before they hatch, for this is not the end of the road.

If you are really passionate about math and want to pursue it in any way, shape, or form in the upcoming years, or are looking to succeed in competition math and set yourself apart from other students, check out this FREE guide below from an International Math Olympiad winner himself: https://www. rishabacademy. com/math-preparation.

Good luck on the AP test!.