Your AB/BC review sheet should have a section marked “calculative skills.” If you did poorly in class, try going over this area with a calculator and see how you could do better. For example, how much could you increase your Deductive Income ratio (DRI) for your dependent children? This will give you a good idea of where you need to focus your attention.
The third item on your AB/BC review sheet should be memorization. Memorization is key to passing any exam. If you’re not confident in your calculator and have never taken a Calculus exam, don’t worry. A tutor or teacher can help you with any problems you may run into. Trust me; I’ve been there!
Now, once you have your review in order, it’s time to start working on practice questions. Again, I cannot stress enough the importance of this step. It’s an important part of the learning process. You need to develop study habits that will enable you to take notes during class time and know the answers when you get to the test room. This is not an easy task, however. Therefore, I highly recommend finding a good study buddy or doing your review in a group setting.
Once you have your review sheet and are ready to start working on a practice problem, it’s probably a good idea to take a break for awhile. Don’t push yourself. Instead, relax and take a deep breath before beginning. This will give your mind and body a chance to decompress and re-energize. You’ll find that working through the problems in this way is much more efficient than chomping down on your calculator during class!
Finally, the last thing you need to do is to stay committed to your goals. Stay calm no matter how many times you may feel like giving up. Don’t let anyone ever sway your decisions or make you feel guilty for taking your course at a time that works for you. Focus on your classwork and your grade and go from there.
After completing the course, I guarantee you’ll be excited to take your BC calculus exam. It’s one of the most anticipated events in your academic life! It will not be easy, and you certainly won’t be able to anticipate every question or topic that will come up. However, when you approach your testing with a clear mind and attitude, you’ll do just fine.
Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t able to do well on the first time. Try your best each time, and have fun doing so! After all, it is ultimately about enjoying learning and improving yourself!
The first thing you should do is download a copy of your AB/BC calculus review sheet. You can either find this online for free, or purchase a paper to print out. When you’re reviewing, you want to focus on the questions that will be on the test. Spend a few minutes reviewing each question, and try to get a feel for how the type of response is used on the test.
For example, you need to know how to use the subtype text boxes to work through the problem. You also need to know how to use the answer choices so that you can choose an option with high accuracy. Try marking the answers with permanent pens as you learn them. As soon as you stop marking, you are behind the time for the test, and you’ll know you haven’t gotten as much done as you thought you did.
The last thing you want to do before the test is review your calculator. If it’s old and you don’t need it any more, throw it out. Otherwise, run it through the computer programs graphing software to see if it’s accurate or not. If it’s not accurate, then there may be other problems with your calculator, such as a low number of significant figures or an incorrect symbol. This is something that can change your score very dramatically.
Make sure that you review every question carefully. Don’t just skim through the sheet, read each question two or three times, cross reference the answer choices, and mark the right choice if you’re right on the line. Then write down your answers. Once you have a few choices left, take the next section. This section will test you in verbal reasoning and memory.
