AP Tests Will Proceed During Quarantine -- Here's How To Prepare

The times are certainly changing for parents and their children, and while many aspects of schooling have dramatically evolved — perhaps the greatest among them being the transition from in-person to virtual learning — one thing remains constant: AP Exams will go on.

Out of 18,000 AP students surveyed, 91 percent told The College Board they wanted to take their exams. In an effort to accommodate student wishes, The College Board confirmed that exams will continue as planned, to the applause of hard-working AP students everywhere.

Why might students have requested that this opportunity remain available? After all, testing isn’t exactly at the top of students’ lists of fun things to do in their spare time.

The reasons are quite compelling, actually. Taking AP courses is no walk in the park. Many students have worked hard all year, poring over and mastering college-level material, and they want the chance to take their tests and earn their well-deserved college credits.

Furthermore, earning that credit can prove immensely helpful for students entering college. Many admissions officers view successful completion of AP courses and exams as indicators that students are hard-working, elevating their acceptance potential. What’s more, passing test scores can even allow students to skip some introductory courses or receive breaks on tuition. It’s understandable that students answered a resounding, “Yes!” when asked if they wanted AP Exams to proceed.

And while The College Board is making sure students get their rightful shot, the exams do look a little different than they used to, which has some students and families feeling uneasy, especially now that schools have closed their doors and students aren’t quite sure how to adequately prepare without the in-depth, in-person support they are used to receiving from teachers.

But fear not! Before you or your students decide to chuck it in the bucket and sacrifice months of hard work, know there are resources available to help your students prepare and still earn the credit they deserve, even if they don’t have traditional brick and mortar classrooms to help them do it.

AP Coronavirus Updates

Students and families can view the latest news and updates as well as learn about the new AP Exam format, including tips for how to approach this open-book, open-note structure.

Exam Schedule

This detailed exam schedule is organized by course and time zone and includes everything students need to know about their course-specific AP Exams, from what knowledge the questions are testing to which units the tests will cover.

The College Board’s Online Courses

These “free, live AP review lessons, delivered by AP teachers from across the country,” present students with optional lessons targeting content that supplements what their AP teachers have already or are continuing to provide. The lessons are also available to students on-demand following the live sessions.

Khan Academy

This free test prep resource provides videos, lessons, and activities covering the content of many AP courses to help students prepare for the 2020 AP Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics Exams, among others.

Prompt

This writing-feedback organization has teamed up with educators and AP writing experts to provide free AP prep materials for writing-intensive exams. In addition, because of the nature of writing and the difficulty associated with students knowing if they are “right,” low-cost (and no-cost for some students) AP English and History practice exam feedback is

available.

Yes, these are unusual times, and we’re all dealing with the associated uncertainties as best we can. These resources can make at least one part of all this less stressful for you and your students.