AP testing season has arrived, bringing early mornings, long exams, and a lot of stress for students in Advanced Placement classes. These tests can lead to college credit and give students the chance to show what they’ve learned throughout the course. 

AP (Advanced Placement) tests are college-level exams offered by the College Board. They’re scored from 1 to 5, and many colleges will offer credit or course placement for scores of 3 and above. Even if students don’t earn credit, taking AP exams shows colleges that they’re serious about academic achievement. 

What’s different this year is that most AP tests are fully digital or hybrid, depending on the subject. This means that students will be typing essays instead of handwriting them and clicking through multiple-choice questions instead of bubbling in scantrons. One student taking AP United States History says it adds a new stress of technology issues, “I like not having to handwrite everything, but I’m nervous about my computer freezing or shutting down during the test”. 

Each test is about three hours long, split into multiple-choice and free-response sections. Students usually take them in the morning or afternoon, and they run for two weeks in May. During that time, some classes get moved around to make room for the exams, and students often miss their regular schedule. Phones are not allowed, and the testing rules are very strict; once the tests starts, there’s no talking or using electronic devices.  

AP scores will be released in July through the College Board website starting on July 7th. Good luck testers!