How to Prepare for the AP Environmental Science Exam

Rating:
Summary: AP Review book not up to snuff
Review: I am an environmental science teacher. The test is over for one more year and this book was only of moderate help. The test is becoming more technical by the year. None of this material was covered. As others have said, the laws and the people were not part of the test beyond a couple of obvious ones such as Garrett Hardin. It's better than nothing but one shouldn't use it to the exclusion of their teacher's guidance.

Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this for content
Review: I bought the Barron's AP Enviro review because it is the only review book for this AP exam and besides CollegeBoard, it is the only other source for AP Enviro questions.

Barron's probably makes the poorest exam review books on the market, Princeton review making the best.

I highly advise you not to purchase it, even if you're looking for review. The book focused on material not on the test (it suggests that you memorize every piece of US environmental legislation, for example), and its practice reviews (the sole reason I bought the book) were nothing like the exam.

The style of the practice questions and its subject matter are not like the AP exam!

If you need review for the exam, I suggest reviewing your textbook and notes and not waste money on this paper-waster.

Rating:
Summary: An average review book if you want to waste some money
Review: I used the book in order to prepare for the AP Environmental Science exam. The book is definately not the best review book out there. (Update: For the record I did receive a 5 on the exam but I attribute that feat to myself and a special thanks to my great teacher Mr. Visco rather than this lousy book)

I simply did not find the book fun to read which I feel is critical to review. Chances are you aren't going to get anything out of review if you aren't enjoying the experience. I find the Princeton Review books have much better writing and are much more enjoyable to read than the Barron's books. The style is very monotone and does little to perk your interest while trying to review. At times it seemed like I was forcing myself to finish some of the chapters. In addition, I found some of the information in the book to be erroneous. I consulted my teacher and some textbooks and found that I was correct.

The book is not totally worthless. It is mildly helpful in refreshing ideas taught in class and the charts are easy to follow however the book puts in way more information than you really need to know which is inherently bad because students are going to waste time studying information that is not going to be on the exam. The chapter on the environmental laws was useful since the laws almost always show up as a part of a Part II question and from what I have seen 1 or 2 multiple choice questions. However there's only really ten or so that you really need to know and have popped up on the exam (You could easily get by only knowing Clean Air/Water Acts, Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act and maybe a couple involving the management of wastes like RCRA or CERCLA. Those you can extend over a pretty wide variety of cases that you might be asked about) and there's many that the book lists that are completely unnecessary making it seem almost daunting to the nervous student trying to cram in information for an exam he/she doesn't really know what to expect.

Buy or Skip? If you feel that you really need some extra review and don't feel like wasting money go ahead and get it. I suggest skipping and instead yell at the Princeton Review to make a book or even better study the released part I exam and all the part II's along with simply reviewing your class notes for a real review.

Rating:
Summary: Dont waste your Jackson on this pulp
Review: Like most people who buy this literature, it is purchased in order to review for the AP test. It is meant as a summation of the major facts and concepts that the College Board could test over.
However, Mr. Thorpe and his Barrons buddies seem to have had different plans when writing this book. It is a detailed description of numerous facts and factoids with much too much raw data to use in a general review for a test. It uses extensive lists of details and never comes to conclusions. It seems to be a sorry attempt at making a textbook. But in reality, that is what it is, de facto: a bad textbook not worth your money.
Furthermore, Thorpe seems overly giddy to blame us evil humans for Earths woes and only mention statist interventions as solutions and never comments on the 'lack of raw data' that the UN's council on climate change came to as conclusion in regards to global warming. His faith in human induced global climate change is as rabid as a catholic schoolboy's belief in his Hail Mary's. It is almost to the point of mystical fanaticism. We can always assume socialist bias in the academia; however, this is unapologetic bias and pure delusion.
Maybe if the book had summaries of theories, of ideas, of needed information (instead, for example, of how EVERY type of molecule helps or hurts humans and lengthy list of other 'factoids'), the leftist slant could be looked over.
However, with its dry tone, with its extensive over listing and under explaining, with its obvious bias, this book is not worth the biomass necessary to create it and should simply be taken out of publication until someone capable of the job can write a worthwhile review.

Rating:
Summary: useless
Review: This book is filled with useless information that is not on the ap test, save ur money for something else!!! It is much more helpful to review the key points from the textbook. Trust me.

Rating:
Summary: This book is terrible...
Review: While it might have all the necessary information, it presents it in a way that you'll never remember any of it. Also, the review questions at the end of every chapter were not helpful as well. They questioned you on questions not answered in the review of the chapter. Furthermore, the AP Review for Environmental Science was longer than my text book. It was a waste of money.