Are you taking the AP Music Theory exam this spring and want to be well prepared on test day? The AP Music Theory exam in 2022 will be held on Friday, May 13, at 8 am. AP Music Theory is different from most other AP exams; it's more like a foreign language exam than anything else, with lots of audio clips and "translation." Knowing what to expect will go a long way to helping you feel confident on test day.

In this guide, we'll answer all your pressing questions like, "What is on the AP Music Theory exam?" "Is AP Music Theory hard?" and, maybe most importantly, "Do you have to sing in AP Music Theory?" (spoiler: kind of!). Read on to learn all those answers and more.

Reading is a skill many people take for granted, but the act of reading and properly comprehending a text is a complex and interactive process. It requires several different brain functions to work together and most often requires one to puzzle through multiple layers of context and meaning.

Because reading comprehension is so complicated, we can often find ourselves understanding the most basic interpretation of a text, but missing the emotional core or the "big picture." Or we might just find our brains spinning with no clue at all as to what a text is attempting to convey.

But luckily for everyone who struggles in English classes, on standardized tests, or in daily life, reading comprehension can be improved upon (and it's never too late to start!). In this guide, I explain step-by-step how to improve reading comprehension over time and offer tips for boosting your understanding as you read.

Studying is about finding a right balance between concentration, understanding, retention, and rest. And, just like any task that taxes your energy—be it physical or mental—it is often just as difficult to get started as it is to engage in the task itself.

But don't despair! Whether you need to study for just one test, or want to learn how to study over the long haul and retain a whole term's worth of information, we've got you covered. We'll explain exactly how to study better, helping you revamp both your daily and long-term study habits and giving you the best study tips for managing your time and keeping your focus as you actually study.

And, once you've mastered these study techniques, we'll also show you how to prepare yourself for test day so you can do your very best when the chips are down. So let's get to it!

Online high schools can be a way for students to take high school classes and graduate at their own pace, without having to adhere to strict schedules and the distractions of a traditional school. So if you feel that an in-person school isn't right for you for whatever reason, an online school might be the perfect fit.

In this article, we'll give you a list of all the (tuition free!) online high schools available in each U.S. state. We'll also explain how online high schools work and why an online high school could be right for you.

So let's get started!

AP Biology is known for being one of the tougher AP exams, and, for most students, the free-response section is the hardest part of the test. In 2021, the average score for every free-response question was less than a 50%! However, knowing what to expect can make it easier to get a great score on AP Biology FRQ. And in this guide, we explain everything you need to know to ace this section. Read on to learn the format of AP Biology FRQ, what graders are looking for, what the questions will look like, and what you can do to be well-prepared on exam day.

AP Physics 1 is known for being a tough test. In fact, in 2021 it had the lowest passing rate of all the AP exams. Only 42% of students who took the AP Physics 1 exam passed it, and only 7% got a 5, the highest score. And the section students struggle the most with is the free-response section. 

But you've come to the right place! This guide will go over everything you need to know about the AP Physics 1 free-response section and how to ace it. We cover the format of the AP Physics 1 section, what example questions look like, what graders are looking for, and how you can come into exam day confident and well prepared.

What is the Duke TIP, and what is the 7th Grade Talent Search? In this article, I'll be writing about the Duke Talent Identification Program, also known as Duke TIP, also known as the Duke TIP Program. The Duke TIP is a conglomeration of multiple subprograms, one of which is the 7^th Grade Talent Search.

While you can find all the information about it on Duke's own website, as I did, the information is spread out and a little tricky to track down (hence the confused panda at the top of this article). For your convenience, I've compiled everything here into one magnificent blog post/guide. I recommend reading it all the way through, but if you only want to read one particular section, you can pick and choose from the Table of Contents.

Now that that's out of the way, let's dive into the Duke TIP and the 7th Grade Talent Search!

Perhaps you've read our article about Duke's Talent Identification Program (TIP), maybe you've heard about it from other students, or maybe you did your own research. You've heard vague hints of "score requirements," but don't know exactly what that means—do you have to take the SAT in order to take part in TIP? How well do you have to do on the SAT in order to become a TIPster? (I refuse to believe that students who participate in TIP do not go by this name.)

There are SAT (or ACT) score requirements for the Duke TIP: specifically, there are score requirements for Summer Studies programs and eStudies courses. I'm going to cover this complicated topic in exhaustive detail, explaining what the programs are, what the SAT score requirements are, and giving you some tips on how to meet these requirements.

Maybe you’ve read our article about Duke’s Talent Identification Program (TIP), maybe you’ve heard about it from other students, or maybe you did your own research. You've heard vague hints of "score requirements," but don't know exactly what that means—do you have to take the ACT in order to take part in TIP? How well do you have to do on the ACT in order to become a TIPster? (I refuse to believe that students who participate in TIP do not go by this name.)

There are ACT (or SAT) score requirements for the Duke TIP: specifically, there are score requirements for Summer Studies programs and eStudies courses. I'm going to cover this complicated topic in exhaustive detail, explaining what the programs are, what the ACT score requirements are, and giving you some tips on how to meet these requirements. These requirements all refer to the regular ACT, not the ACT Aspire or ACT EXPLORE.

Feature image credit: Ilyse Whitney/Flickr

You’ve been working hard in your AP US History class, and now it’s time to start prepping for your APUSH exam. 

But there’s a lot you’ll need to know if you want to do well, especially on the APUSH DBQ section. For instance, you’ll need to understand the APUSH DBQ rubric so you know how you’ll be scored on your answers, and you’ll need to look at a few APUSH DBQ examples so you understand what it takes to 

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about APUSH DBQs in one easy place. (That place is, uh, here.) We’ll go over: 

• An explanation of what APUSH DBQs are and why they’re important 
• A walkthrough covering how APUSH DBQs work on the exam and what to expect
• A six-step process for writing a great DBQ
• Four tips for studying for and answering the APUSH DBQs

We’ll also give you an APUSH DBQ rubric and APUSH DBQ examples That’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get going!

AP World History is a challenging class, and in order to get credit for it you’ll have to take an equally challenging exam. And one of the toughest parts of the test is the AP World History document-based question, or AP World DBQ. This question asks you to read and analyze documents on the fly, then write an argumentative essay…all in one hour. 

It can be hard to know what–and how–to study for the AP World History DBQ, especially when you don’t know which documents you’ll receive on test day. But don’t worry: we’ll break down everything you need to know about the AP World History DBQ so you can ace it on test day. (We’ll even give you AP World History DBQ example questions and an AP World History DBQ rubric example!) 

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• An explanation of what the AP World History DBQ is 
• A look at how the DBQ works on the AP World History exam
• A step-by-step process for tackling the AP World History DBQ
• A guide to studying for and answering the AP World History DBQ

Let’s get going!

The AP Physics C courses are both challenging and rewarding. If you choose to take either AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism or AP Physics C: Mechanics (or both!), you’ll get the chance to learn college-level material and potentially earn college credit! 

But is AP Physics C hard? Can you take AP Physics C without Physics 1? If you’re asking yourself, “Should I take AP Physics C?,” keep reading–we’ll answer these questions and more in this complete guide to the AP Physics C courses and exams. 

Our article covers all of the following info about AP Physics C: 

• What’s on the AP Physics C exams and how they’re formatted
• A quiz to help you decide if you should take AP Physics C
• A guide to AP Physics C practice tests
• Five tips for prepping for the AP Physics C exams

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Are you thinking about taking AP Computer Science Principles but aren't sure if it's the right class for you? Or maybe you're already enrolled but want to put yourself in the best position to score well on the AP exam? There are aspects of the class and AP Computer Science Principles exam that are quite different compared to other APs, and the earlier you know what to expect, the better prepared you'll be. That's where we come in!

Read this article to learn what the AP Computer Science Principles course covers, what the two (very different) parts of the exam look like, and what the best practice resources and study tips are to help you feel confident well before exam day.

Trying to decide whether to take AP Microeconomics or AP Macroeconomics? Despite their similar names, these two AP classes actually cover quite different topics, and there may be one that appeals to you much more than the other. But how to know? That's where we come in! This guide covers everything you need to know in the AP Micro vs AP Macro debate. You'll learn what the differences between macro and microeconomics are, how the two courses and exams differ, which class is harder, and how you can decide which will be the best AP economics course for you.

Are you taking AP Euro and are wondering about the AP Euro DBQ essay? The DBQ is quite different from a typical school essay, and students often struggle with it during the AP exam. However, knowing what to expect from the AP Euro DBQ will go a long way towards helping you feel more confident, as well as getting a great score! Read this in-depth guide to learn all about what to expect from the AP Euro DBQ, what graders are looking for in your essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a DBQ, and three key tips to keep in mind when going over AP Euro DBQ example questions.