Students Are Stressing About the Changes With AP Testing This Year
Throughout the year, teachers and students have been worried about what AP (Advanced Placement) testing would look like during May. While previous years have stuck to the standard 3-hour paper-pencil test, last year’s school shutdowns caused the Collegeboard to redesign the test in order to accommodate safety precautions due to COVID-19. These digital tests were only 45-50 minutes long, and most only had students type in Free Response answers. Although many schools are at least halfway open now, students across the country have been worried about what this year’s tests would be like, as safety protocols still need to be taken. To appease this worry, the Collegeboard gave students three options to take their tests: an in-person fully paper-pencil test in early May, either an in-person paper-pencil or at-home digital test (depending on school policy) during late May, or a fully at-home digital test in early June.
Even though many students see the digital tests as appealing for safety reasons, this may cause some difficulty for seniors. Since scores from the third window will not be released until August, they may miss the chance to submit their scores before the Fall semester starts, which may mean that these credits will not be counted until the Spring semester. Additionally, since the later-half of the second administration and the third administration take place after the school year ends, many students will not have the proper review or help from teachers that they would like.
While many are relieved at the opportunity to choose between which test they would like to take, there is still some debate over which testing option to choose. Some students, like junior Holland Foristall, chose the paper-pencil version for each of her tests. Foristall explained, “I focus better when taking tests using paper and a pencil. I also like to be able to go back and check my work, which you can’t do during the online version.” Unlike Foristall, junior Madison Hettrich opted for the digital option. “I’m taking my AP test online because it takes away the stress of going to school and sitting inside a classroom,” explained Hettrich. Since Collegeboard wants to erase all chances of cheating during digital exams, they are preventing students from skipping and going back to questions later, which may cause the paper-pencil tests to be much more appealing to many. Finally, many digital tests are replacing typical Free-Response sections with more Multiple Choice sections, so administration choosing will vary from student to student.
https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/exam-dates
