title: "AP Psychology 7-Day Cram Plan" description: "A comprehensive week-long AP Psychology study schedule: unit-by-unit breakdown, daily targets, FRQ practice, full-length mock, and confidence builders for exam week." date: "2026-01-15" examDate: "May AP Exam" topics:
- Biological Bases of Behavior
- Cognition
- Development and Learning
- Social Psychology and Personality
- Mental and Physical Health
You have one week. This schedule spreads the five AP Psychology units across your week and front-loads the highest-yield material. Each day is ~3-4 hours; adjust if you need more time on weak units.
The structure: review → practice MCQs → apply to scenarios → timed FRQ once you hit unit 3.
Daily Schedule
Monday: Biological Bases of Behavior (3.5 hrs)
| Time | Topic | Task | |---|---|---| | 0:00–0:45 | Neurons & Action Potentials | Diagram a neuron; label synapse, axon, dendrite. Read 5 MCQs. | | 0:45–1:30 | Neurotransmitters | Memorize dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, endorphins. Match each to 2 disorders. | | 1:30–2:15 | Brain Structures (Midbrain + Hindbrain) | Label amygdala, hippocampus, cerebellum, thalamus, hypothalamus. Pair each with a function + patient symptom. | | 2:15–3:00 | Sensation & Perception | Thresholds, sensory gating, perceptual organization. 15 MCQs. | | 3:00–3:30 | Sleep Cycles + Consciousness | REM/NREM stages, circadian rhythms, sleep disorders. 10 MCQs. |
Evening: 20 cumulative MCQs (neurotransmitters focused). No FRQ yet.
💡 Retention tip: Create a 3×4 neurotransmitter index card (drug class example on back). Review it before bed.
Tuesday: Cognition (3.5 hrs)
| Time | Topic | Task | |---|---|---| | 0:00–0:45 | Memory: Sensory, Short-Term, Long-Term | Atkinson-Shiffrin model. Iconic/echoic, digit span, LTM types (semantic, episodic, procedural). | | 0:45–1:30 | Encoding, Storage, Retrieval | Levels of processing. Context-dependent, state-dependent memory. Retrieval cues. | | 1:30–2:15 | Forgetting & Interference | Ebbinghaus, decay, interference (proactive vs retroactive), retrieval failure. 15 MCQs. | | 2:15–3:00 | Language & Cognition | Broca's/Wernicke's areas. Whorfian hypothesis. Problem-solving, heuristics (availability, representativeness). | | 3:00–3:30 | Intelligence & Testing | IQ tests, reliability, validity, bias. 10 MCQs. |
Evening: Apply-to-scenario drills (3 scenarios on memory encoding; label the memory system + encoding type for each).
Wednesday: Development & Learning (4 hrs)
| Time | Topic | Task | |---|---|---| | 0:00–0:45 | Piaget's Stages | Sensorimotor through formal operational. Know the conservation task, object permanence. | | 0:45–1:30 | Erikson + Other Lifespan | 8 stages. Vygotsky (ZPD, scaffolding). Mary Ainsworth (attachment). | | 1:30–2:15 | Classical Conditioning | Pavlov's dog. UCS, UCR, CS, CR, acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, discrimination. 20 MCQs. | | 2:15–3:00 | Operant Conditioning | Skinner, reinforcement (positive/negative), punishment (positive/negative). Schedules of reinforcement (fixed/variable ratio/interval). | | 3:00–3:30 | Observational Learning | Bandura, mirror neurons, Bobo doll. Self-efficacy. 10 MCQs. |
Evening: First timed FRQ (60 min). Scenario: child learning a new behavior through observation + operant reinforcement. Define both, apply to scenario.
🎯 FRQ structure for development: (1) Name the theory/concept. (2) Define it in psychology language. (3) Apply to the scenario. (4) Predict outcome.
Thursday: Social Psychology & Personality (3.5 hrs)
| Time | Topic | Task | |---|---|---| | 0:00–0:45 | Attitudes & Persuasion | Central vs peripheral route (ELM). Cognitive dissonance. | | 0:45–1:30 | Conformity & Obedience | Asch (line study), Milgram (shock study), Zimbardo (Stanford prison). Situational vs dispositional. | | 1:30–2:15 | Group Dynamics & Prejudice | Social facilitation, social loafing, deindividuation. In-group bias, stereotype threat. 20 MCQs. | | 2:15–3:00 | Personality Theories | Freud (criticized), humanistic (Rogers, Maslow), trait (Big Five), social-cognitive (Bandura). | | 3:00–3:30 | Personality Assessment | MMPI, projective tests (TAT, Rorschach). Reliability/validity. 10 MCQs. |
Evening: Second timed FRQ (evidence-based). "Use psychological evidence to explain conformity. How might a person resist harmful conformity?" Cite Asch + a theory/intervention.
Friday: Mental & Physical Health (3.5 hrs)
| Time | Topic | Task | |---|---|---| | 0:00–0:45 | Stress & Stress Disorders | Selye (GAS), sources of stress, PTSD, acute stress disorder. Coping (emotion-focused, problem-focused). | | 0:45–1:30 | Anxiety, Mood, Psychotic Disorders | GAD, panic, phobias, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia (positive/negative symptoms). | | 1:30–2:15 | Other Disorders | Dissociative, somatic symptom, eating, substance-related, personality. 20 MCQs. | | 2:15–3:00 | Therapy Approaches | CBT, psychodynamic, humanistic, biomedical (drugs, ECT). Evaluating efficacy. | | 3:00–3:30 | Social-Cultural Factors in Health | Culture, socioeconomic status, gender differences in diagnosis/treatment. 10 MCQs. |
Evening: Quiz yourself on disorders: name the category, 2 symptoms, 1 treatment approach.
Saturday: Full-Length Mock Exam (3 hrs)
- 100 multiple-choice questions (no calculator, all units).
- Strict time limit: 70 minutes.
- Then: 2 FRQs (one article-based, one evidence-based), 50 minutes.
After exam: Mark all wrong MCQs; identify patterns (e.g., "I miss all classical conditioning MCQs"). Note FRQ rubric mistakes.
⚠️ Mock exam strategy: Treat it exactly like the real exam. Use scratch paper, time yourself, don't check notes mid-exam.
Sunday: Review + Drills + Rest (2.5 hrs)
| Time | Task | |---|---| | 0:00–0:45 | Review mock exam errors. Focus on the pattern (e.g., neurotransmitter confusion). Re-drill 15 MCQs on that topic. | | 0:45–1:30 | Quick-review: neurotransmitter table, brain structures, conditioning vocabulary, key studies (Asch, Milgram, Loftus, Bandura). | | 1:30–2:30 | Skim last-minute review. Create a 1-page cheat sheet (neurotransmitters + common traps). |
Rest. Seriously. Get 8+ hours sleep. Walk outside. Do not cram Sunday night.
High-yield study tips
- Neurotransmitter cards: One card per transmitter (dopamine, serotonin, etc.). Front: name + function. Back: 2 disorders + 1 drug. Quiz yourself 3× this week.
- Brain structure labeling: Diagram the brain 3 times (unlabeled). Force yourself to name every structure.
- Scenario-based learning: Read a clinical vignette; identify the disorder, explain the neurotransmitter imbalance or life event trigger, propose a treatment.
- Study pairs: Quiz each other on "What's the difference between: (a) proactive vs retroactive interference? (b) negative reinforcement vs punishment? (c) fundamental attribution error vs in-group bias?"
Score trajectory
If you complete this 7-day plan:
- Weak spots mastered: neurotransmitters, conditioning, lifespan theories, common disorders, FRQ structure.
- Realistic score estimate: 60–75% correct on practice = likely score of 4–5.
Ready? Start Monday with neurotransmitter memorization. On exam day, reference the morning checklist. You've got this. 🎯