What to Know About AP Exams in 2019

What to Know About AP Exams in 2019 Attention high school AP students: beginning this August, you can expect changes to the AP exam process. Items on the agenda include enhanced free test prep materials for AP teachers, an earlier AP exam registration deadline in November, and a $40.00 late fee for late registration or exam cancellation. If youre planning on taking an AP course, read on to learn about the changes that could affect your AP exam experience in 2019. Change #1 for AP exams in 2019: new study and assessment materials The College Board has developed study tools and curriculum materials for teachers. This includes a library of unit-by-unit planning guides for AP classes, real exam questions, unit assessment tests, and a performance dashboard on which students and teachers can track performance on AP course materials. For teachers, study and assessment tools could make it easier than ever to help their students master an AP subject. For students, these resources could help keep their studying more focused during the yearincreasing their understanding of the AP subject and boosting their AP exam performance at the end of the year. [RELATED: The Ultimate Study Plan for AP Courses] Change #2 for AP exams in 2019: new exam registration deadline According to the College Board, high school students are more likely to take an AP examand to do wellif they commit to doing so at the start of the school year. For that reason, the College Board has moved its AP exam registration deadline to November. However, it suggests students decide whether or not they wish to take AP exams even earlier, by October. If you fail to register by November, or later change your exam selection or cancel your exam altogether, youll be charged a $40.00 late fee. [RELATED: The Top 4 Myths About AP Exams] Change #3 for AP exams in 2019: new curricula for certain AP courses For all AP classes, you can expect the curricula to be clearer and more streamlined due to the College Boards new AP course resources. Several popular courses, specifically AP World History and AP Biology, will also be updated. Some major changes for the AP World History curriculum include: Organization of the course into four historical periods from 1200 CE to the present Organization of the course into nine units covering those four historical periods Addition of a sixth theme, Technology and Innovation A new framework outlining specific skills necessary to ace the AP World History exam Some major changes for the AP Biology curriculum include: Organization of the course into eight commonly taught biology units, including the cell cycle and ecology Correspondence of the eight units with four Big Ideas in biologyevolution, energetics, information storage and transfer, and systems interaction Better connection of learning objectives to what is taught A new framework outlining specific skills necessary to ace the AP Biology exam For a full list of AP courses, visit the College Board. [RELATED: What Are AP Through-Course Assessments?] Being aware of these changes and what they will mean for your AP studies can benefit your overall AP experience. If youre on the fence about taking an AP exam next year, sit down with your schools guidance counselor to learn about your options and to determine which academic plan is best for you. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Jumpstarting Your Music Career 5 Tips Nobody Talks About

Jumpstarting Your Music Career 5 Tips Nobody Talks About Suzy S. If youre one of the many with dreams of scoring a record deal, embarking on a world tour, or gracing the Broadway stage or maybe even the big screen, youve probably received a wealth of advice from teachers and mentors. You know the importance of working hard, practicing a ton, acing your auditions and networking. But theres actually much more to it. When it comes to making it in the entertainment field and getting the opportunity to do what you love, the path to success can be filled with frustration and unpredictable outcomes. So how do you survive the ups and downs? New York, NY teacher Natalie W. recently gave us her 5 tips for survival that arent always mentioned in the career guidebooks. Here are her words of wisdom, coming from years of experience as a professional opera singer: 1) Dont go to school for the performing arts.   No one truly cares where (or whether) you went to school; they just want to see what you can do.   You will get far better training studying privately with teachers and coaches and designing your own curriculum than you will get in pretty much any program.   With few exceptions, the best teachers dont teach in universities, because they can make far more money teaching privately in a city like New York. 2) Do go to school and study something that interests you.   Study philosophy, psychology, art history, political science, biology, whatever.   Broaden your world.   Make yourself a more complex, well-rounded person.   This will serve you as an artist, and help prepare you for my next piece of advice: 3) Prepare for a parallel career.   I was always told I would need a fall-back career, something to do if I didnt make it.   Well, of course, I was going to make it, so I didnt need one.   In fact, I didnt want a fall-back career, because then I knew I would end up falling back on it.   If I gave myself no option except to make it, then Id have to make it right?   (wrong)   Heres the reality: except for the most miniscule percentage of people, even highly successful performers those who have had national tours, performed on Broadway or at the Met, have made blockbuster movies or been on Law Order have times when they are not making money as performers.   Even if you make it, you will have to support yourself by other means at times.   If you dont want to spend the largest chunks of your life temping or waiting tables, figure out something you would like to do that allows you some flexibility for your artistic pursuits and train yourself for that.   I have found that for myself wit h my teaching the only reason Im glad I have a Masters degree in voice performance (even though nothing of what I learned in grad school gets passed on to my students). 4) Make time for friends and family.   It is so easy to say I cant, I have rehearsal (my mom actually bought me a t-shirt with this on it once, and I wore it with pride), and then wake up years later when your career is stalled to realize you have no friends and your marriage is on the rocks.   There is no one audition, no one show, no one opportunity that will be the deciding factor in your career.   You cant always sacrifice your career dreams for your friends and family, but you also cant always sacrifice your friends and family for your career dreams.   In the end, your relationships are what sustain you, what nourish you, what make you a whole person, and are what you can count on when the dream eludes you.   Besides, who are you going to thank when you win your Tony? 5) Lastly, if there is anything else in life that will make you happy, do that.   It is rare that the moments of joy outnumber the moments of pain and frustration in this business, so it is only worth doing if you are miserable not doing it. Natalie W. teaches piano, singing, Broadway singing, music performance, music theory, opera voice, and acting lessons to students of all ages in New York, NY. She joined the TakeLessons team in October 2012, with over 20   years of teaching experience. Find out more about Natalie, or visit TakeLessons to search for a teacher near you! Photo by Emz.watson