Chemistry (Cliffs AP)

Rating:
Summary: Poor Option
Review: Don't use this book. The lab guy gives the wrong impression. First off, the lab questions on the AP test are the ones you need to least worry about, usually very straighforward since you can't do a lab in a written test. In terms of the rest of the stuff in the Cliffs book, we used some of it in class and it the book is so riddled with mistakes that we stopped using it. USE PRINCETON REVIEW. Awesome book, straightforward, clear, won't put you to sleep.

Rating:
Summary: Remotely helpful? I think not.
Review: I bought this book to help me, as I'm not the best in the chemistry department. If you are in a similar situation, do not buy this book. It has an extremely minimal amount of actual study material, and even skips over some topics completely, even after listing them in the 'key terms' section at the front of the chapter. Shouldn't a study book actually define the key term rather than leave you to look it up and study it from other sources? You might buy it thinking it looks kind of good, but then the week before a big intermolecular forces test, find out that it doesn't mention so much as a sentence on the topic.

Rating:
Summary: It's not the best...
Review: I could go off and brag about how well I did on the exam and then say it was all because of this or that. I'm going to skip that and get straight down to it. It is like a formula sheet. This book is great if you understand what the equations are for. If you don't, you might consider another book. Currently I haven't found a book that contains a better description of the labs, so if you haven't had much experience in the lab before the AP test you might need this book. (BTW question 5 on free response is a lab question. It draws the questions from one of the 22 labs you were suppose to do in the course. If your school is anything like mine you won't do more than 14 or 15.) But again it is a bookl that focuses on the equations, which is silly seeing how the multiple choice section doesn't allow you to use a calculator. (Most of the questions on my test in the m.c. were concept. Those that were calculations were basic and the equations needed were so simple you'd shoot yourself if you didn't know them.) Buy the book for the labs if you need that review, otherwise don't buy it at all. In case you're curious i got a 4 on the test (i followed the crowd). It's always that equilibrium problem that gets you!

Rating:
Summary: IF YOU WANT A 5---BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!
Review: I enjoyed this AP book. It really helped. It was organized and had lots of practical tips. All problems were explained where I could understand them. Lab reviews were good too. Our teacher said this was the best prep book written. We used it in class also. It helps if you use the book as you go through the course- it explained the chapters in our textbook so I understood it.

Rating:
Summary: Very helpful books to pass the AP
Review: I have been teaching AP Chemistry for 10 years. I started using Mr. Thorpe's book when it came out. I recommend it to all my students. This year I had a 96% pass rate and a large number of A's. I think the book was instrumental in preparing my students for the AP exam. I highly recommend it to any student of Chemistry.

Rating:
Summary: 5 stars for getting me a 5!
Review: I would only buy this book to supplement the Barron's AP Chemistry prep book. It really doesn't have any reading material on any of the subjects. It presents everything in bullet form and just lists the equations and key words. No explanations here. Plus the answers and work to the practice problems are shown right below the question, which I did not like. I did use it as a quick reference guide for qualitative analysis stuff, and the effects of ions on the pH of solutions. I used it to review for electrochem also. Some people like the extensive lab chapter, but I didn't really look at it. If I ever forgot the equation for something or needed to look something simple up I would go straight to the Cliffs AP. But for more in depth studying or preparing for tests, I would use the Barron's. I got a 5 and owe it more to the Barron's book then the Cliffs.

Rating:
Summary: Not what I would expect from Cliffs
Review: I would only buy this book to supplement the Barron's AP Chemistry prep book. It really doesn't have any reading material on any of the subjects. It presents everything in bullet form and just lists the equations and key words. No explanations here. Plus the answers and work to the practice problems are shown right below the question, which I did not like. I did use it as a quick reference guide for qualitative analysis stuff, and the effects of ions on the pH of solutions. I used it to review for electrochem also. Some people like the extensive lab chapter, but I didn't really look at it. If I ever forgot the equation for something or needed to look something simple up I would go straight to the Cliffs AP. But for more in depth studying or preparing for tests, I would use the Barron's. I got a 5 and owe it more to the Barron's book then the Cliffs.

Rating:
Summary: horrible resource
Review: it has an awesome lab review section, but the review was nonexistant. I did not like how the book was put together or how it had a key terms section which did not explain the key terms. I am surprised that Cliffs would put out a book of this caliber. It's like the review was an afterthought compared to the lab section.

Rating:
Summary: Simply good
Review: My AP chemistry class was behind schedule. I only knew 2/3 of what I need to know three days before the AP exam. I crammed and studied every page of this book (except labs) and took the practice exams in this book for three days and nights straight. The AP exam questions were very similar to ones on this book's practice exam. I ended up with a 4 on the exam. If I had more time to go over the labs section, I'll probably get a 5. This book has a very simple format. Everything on it is what you need to know, no more, no less. I highly recommend this book to people who are busy with life and just don't have the time to prepare for the AP exam one month in advance. If you follow this book all the way through, a 5 will be waiting for you.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect supplement for Textbook or Barrons
Review: The best part about this book is that it teaches the reader 'to the test'. For example, it has a specific section devoted to the Writing Reactions part of the test, along with all essential labs. Every section has accurate sample AP questions, multiple choice and free response. Barrons lacks all of these previous elements, but Barrons reviews comprehensively. On the other hand, Cliffs barely reviews: each chapter has at most 2 pages of formulas and/or basic concepts. This makes Cliffs a perfect supplement to the Barrons.