We’ve assessed data from over 3,200 AP alumnae* and crunched the numbers, to provide you with the best AP study guides, textbooks and test prep resources for all the main 22 AP subjects.
So let’s dive right in!
- The best books and resources for Science APs
- The top test prep resources for Computer Science APs
- The highest-rated study guides for Maths APs
- The best textbooks for Economics APs
- The top study guides for Politics APs
- The best-rated test prep books for Humanities APs
- And one more thing …
- The Science Of Studying Smart
A few notes before we start:
*Over 3000 students who’ve taken AP exams have provided reviews of their courses through Reddit’s excellent r/APStudents community. We’ve collated and crunched this data to provide you with quick and accessible answers to your study guide needs! Discover our methodology for how we analyse AP data, or visit our editorial policy by clicking these links.
Exam Study Expert founder William Wadsworth is a Cambridge University trained psychologist and data analyst. Since he first started crunching AP data in 2019, over half a million AP students have used his difficulty ratings analysis to choose their AP classes.
Additional research, graphics, and article review by Dr Kerri-Anne Edinburgh
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. We make these recommendations based on AP alumnae reviews and because we think they are genuinely helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we receive.
The best books and resources for Science APs
Biology
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Bio is Barron’s, used by 49% of students. It has an average rating of 4.6/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Bio test prep / review books and resources for include:
- Princeton Review
- Pearson Education
- 5 Steps to a 5
- Cliff Notes
- Crash Course
- Paul Anderson’s Bozeman Science AP Biology playlist
Chemistry
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Chemistry is Princeton Review, used by 63% of students. It has an average rating of 4.9/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Chemistry test prep / review books and resources for include:
Physics 1 and 2
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Physics 1 is 5 Steps to a 5, used by 47% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
The most popular textbooks for test prep and review for AP Physics 2 are 5 Steps to a 5 and Princeton Review, each used by 44% of students. They have an average rating of 4.5/5.0 and 4.8/5.0 respectively from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Physics 1 test prep / review books and resources include:
Other popular AP Physics 2 test prep / review books and resources include:
Physics C – E/M & Mechanics
The majority of AP Physics C test prep books cover both Electricity & Magnetism and Mechanics.
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Physics C is Princeton Review. It’s used by 60% of Electricity and Magnetism students and 64% of Mechanics students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Physics C test prep / review books and resources include:
Psychology
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Psychology is Barron’s, used by 68% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Psych test prep / review books and resources for include:
Environmental Science
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Environment is Princeton Review, used by 58% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Environment test prep / review books and resources for include:
Human Geography
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Human Geography is Princeton Review, used by 42% of students. It has an average rating of 4.6/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Geography test prep / review books and resources for include:
The top test prep resources for Computer Science APs
Computer Science A
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Comp Sci A is Barron’s, used by 86% of students. It has an average rating of 4.6/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Computer Science A test prep / review books and resources for include:
Computer Science Principles
Alumnae reviews reveal that only a small minority of students (32%) use a test prep and review textbook to study for AP Comp Sci Principles.
Within that 32%, the most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Comp Sci Principles is Crash Course, used by 27% of students who used a book. It has an average rating of 4.2/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Comp Sci Principles test prep / review books and resources for include:
The highest-rated study guides for Maths APs
Statistics
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Stats is Barron’s, used by 67% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Stats test prep / review books and resources for include:
Calculus AB and BC
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for APs Calculus AB and BC is Princeton Review, used by 46% of students who used a book.
Some AP Calculus review books cover both AB and BC, whereas others treat them separately.
The Princeton Review AB textbook has an average rating of 4.5/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com, and the Princeton Review BC textbook has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Calculus test prep / review books and resources include:
The best textbooks for Economics APs
Note: bear in mind that several of the test prep textbooks for AP Microeconomics encompass both Microeconomics and its sister class Macroeconomics – and vice versa!
Microeconomics
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Micro is Barron’s, used by 39% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Micro test prep / review books and resources for include:
- Princeton Review
- 5 Steps To A 5
- Jacob Clifford’s AC DC Youtube channel (Micro playlist)
Macroeconomics
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Macro is Barron’s, used by 39% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Micro test prep / review books and resources for include:
- Princeton Review
- 5 Steps To A 5
- Jacob Clifford’s AC DC Youtube channel (Macro playlist
The top study guides for Politics APs
US Government and Politics
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP US Gov is Princeton Review, used by 34% of students. It has an average rating of 4.5/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP US Government test prep / review books and resources include:
Comparative Government and Politics
Only a small percentage of AP Comp Gov students use (and recommend) a textbook. The two most recommended resources are:
The best-rated test prep books for Humanities APs
US History (APUSH)
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for APUSH is Princeton Review, used by 45% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular APUSH test prep / review books and resources for include:
World History
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP World is Princeton Review, used by 55% of students. It has an average rating of 4.6/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP World History test prep / review books and resources for include:
European History
The most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP Euro is Princeton Review, used by 46% of students. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP Euro test prep / review books and resources for include:
- Barron’s
- Crash Course
- Tom Richey’s Youtube channel (AP US and European History)
English Literature
Only a small minority of students (32%) use a test prep and review textbook to study for AP Lit.
Within that 32%, the most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP English Literature is Barron’s, used by 50% of students who used a book. It has an average rating of 4.6/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
The other popular AP Lit test prep / review books and resources is: Princeton Review.
English Language
Only a small minority of students (28%) use a test prep and review textbook to study for AP Lang.
Within that 28%, the most popular textbook for test prep and review for AP English is Princeton Review, used by 45% of students who used a book. It has an average rating of 4.7/5.0 from reviewers on Amazon.com.
Other popular AP English test prep / review books and resources include:
Seminar
Most AP Seminar students don’t use a textbook due to the requirements of the course.
94% of alumnae did not recommend a test prep book, with just one recommendation each for the Barron’s and Princeton Review AP Seminar textbooks.
And one more thing …
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