Some Instructors (maybe not yours) and some text books use APT and PAT for setting power and trim in the circuit. It works a bit like this....
APT... Used when levelling off at an altitude such as 1000ft for the circuit.
A... Attitude, push on the stick 50ft before your desired altitude and watch the speed increase to the cruise speed required. (is it 90kts in a C152?)
P... Power, adjust the power to the cruise setting of say 2400 rpm
T... Trim. By this time you are pushing quite hard on the column, so trim of the force to zero with the trim wheel.
PAT... Used when changing from level flight to descend.
P... Power, adjust to give the known rate of descent required, about 1800 rpm.
A... Attitude, adjust the attitude with the stick to give your required 65-70kts approach speed.
T... Trim off any stick pressure (you should be able to fly with no force on the stick)
If you are doing multiple Touch and Goes, you will soon get to realise that you wind two or three 'knobbles' on the trim wheel on the way up and the same two or three off on the way down...!