If you sat for an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam this year, you have achieved an important milestone in your academic career. You may now be ready to take the summer off before college.
But before you do, it is important to consider whether you are truly ready for college — and all that takes is a bit of self-reflection.
AP and IB exams simulate the skills and content of entry-level university courses. Beyond the desire to earn a good score on these tests, you should be sure that you have fully mastered their challenges.
A full college workload can be intimidating. As such, it is valuable to spend the summer before freshman year focusing on improving areas where your AP or IB performance may have slipped. Review your exams in these four subject areas.
[Check out 10 ways to prepare for your freshman year of college.]
1. Writing: According to the College Board’s 2013 data, AP English Language and Composition is the exam student most commonly took. The ability to write a strong essay is also an important skill for college — regardless of major, most students will compose multiple papers during their college careers.
Many college students seek help only when they are in panic mode: Their essay is due in a day or two and they realize that their draft is not up to par. If your performance on AP English Language and Composition suggests a similar tendency, the best solution is to request additional instruction from a teacher and begin improving your writing now.
Developing stronger writing skills is a process. Learning how to brainstorm, plan and research is crucial to your success in higher education. Through tutoring over the summer, you can enter college prepared for any writing challenges that may come. You can also review Harvard College Writing Center’s student writing guide for additional writing tips.
2. Math and science literacy: Having a solid foundation in math and science will help any freshman fare better in their general education courses. Without this, you may struggle more in these classes and have less time and energy to devote to other classes. And if you plan to pursue a science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM — major, it is even more important that you address any areas of weakness on the AP Calculus AB, AP Biology or AP Statistics course, which are the three most common AP tests in math and science.
If you don’t feel completely confident in your skills in these areas, you may wish to take a comparable summer course at a community college. Conversely, you might consider a program like the Academic Courses and Precollege Summer Institutes offered through the University of California–Los Angeles.
Or spend the summer trying different STEM activities. STEM-Works, for example, offers a variety of ideas to get you started, or look for STEM-related summer programs offered in your community or through your local library.
If possible, you can also choose an option that focuses most closely on your largest weaknesses. For instance, if you struggled with experimental design in AP Biology, select a summer program that includes lab work.
[Learn how to find the right pre-college summer program.]
3. Historical analysis: Take advantage of opportunities to reflect on the skills you encountered in the AP U.S. History exam, because you will likely take a history class or two as part of your general education courses in college. If you aren’t majoring in a history-related field, you’ll want to ensure you have some foundation of the subject to avoid struggling with or overextending yourself on the course.
Consider a field trip with family or friends to one of America’s many historical landmarks to engage with history in a more hands-on approach. Then, write short responses after your visit to reflect upon what you have learned and how it connects to issues discussed in class.
Every state has rich history. For example, you could visit Gettysburg National Military Park or the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. You could also use a digital study guide to review our nation’s history through photographs or videos or reread several of the foundational texts referenced in AP U.S. History, like Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.”
4. English language: If you are an international student who speaks English as a second language and plan to study in the U.S. , you may have used IB courses to strengthen your English language skills. If you also struggled with your end-of-year IB tests, consider whether English as your secondary language created obstacles to your success.
[Explore ways to improve academic English skills before arriving at a U.S. college.]
In that case , use the summer to strengthen your English skills. This will help you succeed in college, from understanding college lectures to comprehending academic texts, even in the face of specialized jargon or denser materials that are found in college courses.
Find a native English speaker to practice conversing with or seek out English-speaking international students at a local university. You can likewise pair up and study with a friend who is also planning to earn a degree in the U.S. and together study and practice conversational English together. IB’s “Guide for IB Students Applying to US Institutions” also offers tips on preparing to attend U.S. universities.
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Build on AP, IB Exams to Prepare for College originally appeared on usnews.com
