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Rating: 
Summary: A Chem Prep Book With Moles of Info!
Review: AP Chemistry is a difficult subject to study, and the AP exam is even harder to conquer. The last thing that one needs when preparing for the AP exam is a review book with so much extraneous information that it becomes burdensome to students. Unfortunately, this Barron's book is long on such useless information and short on helpful test-taking strategies. Most students will find that this book's inclusion of every detail presented since the first day of general chem as amounting to nothing more than a waste of trees. Additionally, this book is so replete with info that simply doesn't need to be known that it succeeds in stressing out even the most confident of test-takers. A quality review book presents a brief outline of concepts relevent to the exam and equips students with the strategies vital to exam success. This book does neither. I have no doubt that a student who thoroughly studies and memorizes this book will score well; I also have no doubt that doing so would be absolutely unnecessary when more efficient means of review could otherwise be employed. I did a thorough review of my class notes and worked problems from retired AP exams to prepare for the test. This book was a required part of our class's test prep, but I found the exercises so tedious and irrelevant that I ended up not using the book more than I was required to -- and still scored a 5. I strongly advise AP Chemistry students considering purchasing this book to look for an easier, faster way to effectively prepare for the Advanced Placement Examination.
Rating:
Summary: A Chem Prep Book With Moles of Info!
Review: As a first year chemistry student in high school, I decided to take the AP class for a challenge. Since I am an above average student, I figured that I could take the class. The summer before that year, I bought this book for extra practice during the year so I could at least pass the class. Not only did I pass the class, but my 95% was enough of a sign for me to try to go for the AP test. This book's practice tests gave me an edge on the test that fellow students failed to utilize. After taking the exam, I ended up with a grade of 4.
That should be proof enough that this book is a great prep tool. Any chem student should buy it to help for class tests and work too. The chapter exams were thourough and gave me possible test questions that I might have never encountered. They also included in-depth explanations.
Get the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Could be much better..
Review: Depending on what you were looking for, this book may or may not have been helpful. If you are looking for basic concepts to pass the AP Chem exam, then this may be the book for you. Most of the stuff they cover is basic. However, if you are looking to make a 5 on the AP Chem exam, consider buying another book. Most of the topics are not covered in depth enough to get those last few points needed for a 5. Also, the questions in the book are definitely lacking. Not only are there no free response questions (which count for 55% of the AP exam, FYI) but the multiple choice questions are lacking in quality. They really don't resemble the ones on the AP exam. (Trust me, I would know - I got a 5 on the exam last year.) If you are looking for a wordy book to help you get some of the basic concepts down, go for Barrons. However, if you are trying to reach for a 5 or get some really good multiple choice problems, you might want to try the Princeton Review instead. :)
Rating:
Summary: Great, Comprehensive Review and awesome practice tests!
Review: I admit that this book makes the AP seem a lot harder than it actually is. However, the diagnostic tests, practice tests, practice questions, answers to tests and questions, and chapters were incredibly useful in preparing for the test. I realized after buying the book that it was an incredible suplement to my chemistry textbook and teacher - subjects that I never totally understood became incredibly clear once reading the book. I suggest skimming through the book and marking important sections to review in the last 3 days before the exam - good luck!
Rating: 
Summary: So Many Mistakes-NOT RELIABLE
Review: I have a lot to say on THIS BOOK. Although this book was useful for cramming info into my brain, I hated all the mistakes that were so often found throughout the book. Besides, the practice tests they give you is harder than the real AP. I would NOT recommend this book to you. (I got a five on the test)
Rating: 
Summary: What to waste money???
Review: I saw one of my friends using this book, so I brought it. It is just too much to read about, and most of them are just useless. It will never been on the AP Chemistry: I Promise You. By the way, don't buy Barron's SAT II Math IIC. The reason is same as AP Chemistry, way off the topic in the test!!!
Rating:
Summary: excellent preparation (esp. psychologically)
Review: I'd actually rather give it 4.5 because it had too many typos (just like the answer key saying it was B and then the actual answer in the explanation would be D and stupid mistakes like that which really irritated me).
However, yes, this book does go into quite a bit of depth which is great when my textbook skimped out on information. And their organic chem section was way too detailed.
And yes, the tests are MUCH MUCH MUCH harder than the actual AP exam. Which is why I liked it so much! I hate Princeton Review's AP books which are sooo incredibly easy and then the real AP exams are several times harder. That does NOT prepare you at all for the AP exam. That's fooling you into a delusional comfort only to kill you viciously on the AP exam day.
Never so with Barron's. Sure, they give you lots of extraneous material, but believe it not, a lot of that, particularly their Experimental Chemistry section can come amazingly in handy on AP exam day. And plus, just surviving the horrifically hard Barron's tests will make you think that the AP exam is a joke.
Between Barron's brutal but very efficient preparation and my beloved, absolutely genius of a TF at Harvard Extension, I, who put hardly any effort into Chem class, got a 5 on the AP.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL BOOK! By a not-so-science high school senior
Review: Well, I was very stressed out about the AP chemistry Test . Barrons AP World history book had prepared me very well last year so i decided to take a chance. Not only did the book prepare me psychologically, but it also actualyl taught me the material that sometimes got left out of the course.It paid attention to details and did provide me with a great sense of confidence in the material. The diagnostic and practice tests were in fact harder than the actual ap test, but encourage me to keep on studying and know the material. i believe that Barron's provides tests that are harder than the AP test to provide raise your goals high so you can totally do amazing on the AP test. The book had everything that I could possibly ever know and i still use it as a reference guide today. it is very useful. I only wish i had boughtit sooner to aid me along in my chemistry class throughout the year.
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