AP Testing Amidst the Pandemic

Whilst the pandemic raged on, many AP students began to wonder how they could take these exams they have been preparing for in the past six months. 

Computers were permitted for the first time in a College Board exam last May. Several significant changes were made for the AP tests so that the experience would run smoother, which included the decision to shorten the tests to less than one hour, as opposed to three to four hours per exam. These tests were generally composed of one or two questions and were completed within 40 minutes. If the student failed to submit their response within the time frame, their scores would be invalidated.

“It was a pretty good experience,” senior Eric Sheng said. “It was nice to have a shorter test, but submitting was stressful since you never knew how long it would take for your computer to submit.”

Senior Chance Lee disagreed.

“AP testing was pretty hectic last year, considering that school was suddenly online. In terms of the tests themselves, I had some problems submitting and that led to some unnecessary stress.”

Having the three different administrations with both digital and in-person versions adds to the flexibility of a rather stiff situation. 

Longtime AP teacher, Louis Harley said, “I appreciate the three ‘administrations’ that allow schools the flexibility to provide later exam dates and digital at-home exams.”

However, this new method isn’t without its faults. Harley noted that AP Comparative Government and AP Human Geography have the exact same test date and time for the second administration. 

As for history classes, the Long-Essay Questions will be present in the in-person exams, but not on the digital version, raising questions as to whether scores will be consistent across all administrations and fully determine the students’ competence with the AP subjects they have been preparing for in the virtual world.