Economics study blog
Honest advice on studying economics — which courses to take, which tools actually work, and how to prepare for AP and IB exams. Written by a PhD economist who teaches this for a living.
June 11, 2026
7 Khan Academy alternatives for economics
Khan Academy's econ videos are solid but passive. An honest review of 7 alternatives for AP, IB, and college economics — most of them free.
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June 11, 2026
The 9 best apps and websites to learn economics in 2026
No news apps, no note-taking apps — just the tools that actually teach economics, ranked for AP and IB students, college courses, and self-learners.
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June 11, 2026
How to learn economics on your own: a step-by-step roadmap
A sequenced, free curriculum from zero: what to learn first, checkpoints with practice problems, honest time estimates, and the books worth reading.
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June 12, 2026
Every AP Micro graph, explained — with interactive versions
All the graphs the AP Microeconomics exam expects you to draw, each with a draggable version you can experiment with before you try it from memory.
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June 12, 2026
Every AP Macro graph, explained — with interactive versions
AD/AS, the money market, the Phillips curve, and the rest — every must-know AP Macro graph explained, with interactive versions you can manipulate.
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June 12, 2026
How to read economics graphs: the five rules
Economics graphs are compressed arguments, not pictures. Five reading rules, each demonstrated on an interactive graph you can move yourself.
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June 12, 2026
How to get a 5 on AP Microeconomics
The score math, a long FRQ walked through point by point, and the exam habits that separate the 4s from the 5s.
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June 12, 2026
How to cram for AP Economics: the 7-day plan
One week out and behind? A professor's honest triage plan — what to drill, what to skip without guilt, and why sleep beats the all-nighter.
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June 12, 2026
The IB Economics IA, explained
Three commentaries, 45 marks, unlimited drafting time. The marking criteria, article selection rules of thumb, and an 800-word structure that scores.
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June 11, 2026
How to study for an economics exam: what actually works
Retrieval practice, blank-page graph drills, spacing, interleaving — the learning-science toolkit applied to economics, plus a two-week countdown plan.
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June 11, 2026
Why am I bad at economics? 7 fixable reasons
Graph illiteracy, memorize-mode studying, vocab overload, math anxiety — a diagnosis for each cause, with a concrete fix you can start today.
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June 11, 2026
How much math do you need for economics?
Level by level — AP and IB, college intro, the major, grad school — with a worked example at each so you can self-assess.
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June 11, 2026
Can ChatGPT teach you economics?
Where AI tutors genuinely help, where they confidently fail — graphs, arithmetic, invented citations — and a workflow that uses them safely.
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June 11, 2026
How to self-study AP Macroeconomics: a 10-week plan
A week-by-week plan to self-study AP Macro from zero: the six units in order, which graphs to drill, and how to register for the exam without taking the class.
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June 11, 2026
How to self-study AP Microeconomics: a 10-week plan
A week-by-week plan to self-study AP Micro: the six units in order, the graphs that decide the FRQ section, and the exam registration logistics.
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June 11, 2026
Is economics hard? An honest answer from someone who teaches it
What actually makes economics hard — graph fluency, counterintuitive logic, cumulative structure — and what makes it click for real students.
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June 11, 2026
Is AP Economics worth taking?
Pass rates, college credit policies, workload, and who should (and should not) take AP Micro or AP Macro next year.
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June 11, 2026
AP Micro vs. AP Macro: which is harder, and which first?
Content, score distributions, and difficulty compared side by side — with a clear recommendation on which order to take them in.
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June 11, 2026
How to get a 7 in IB Economics
Diagram fluency, real evaluation, prepared real-world examples, and a weekly study system that fits around your other five subjects.
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Prefer doing over reading?
Econ Academy teaches micro and macro through interactive graphs, retrieval practice, and spaced repetition — free.