While the world is encapsulated in the COVID-19 virus pandemic, finding ventilators, masks, and food supplies, Advanced Placement testing for high school students continues. Normally the tests occur during the first two weeks of May, however, with the global pandemic on the horizon, many students were concerned about Advanced Placement or AP testing. Advanced Placement testing is a way for high school students to receive college credit for classes taken during high school. The tests cover a variety of topics from Art to English to Calculus to Psychology and look to test the mastery of the subjects. Students are scored on a 1-5 grading scale with 5 representing beyond qualified and 1 representing not qualified to get credit in introductory college classes. This year when faced with a difficult choice, the College Board surveyed the students to see if they wanted to keep the exams for this year. In the press release, the College Board stated, “After surveying 18,000 students the only answer was a resounding yes.”
This year, there will be changes to the overall exam format in order to provide equal opportunity to those affected by the COVID-19 virus. The College Board stated in their press release that, “The exams will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March. We know that some students have lost more class time than others, and we want to be fair to all students.” Furthermore, the test which is normally a conglomerate of multiple-choice questions and Free Response Questions (FRQs) will only be Free Response Questions (FRQs) this year. Another systematic change in the testing procedure will revolve around location and timing. Students will be able to take their AP Exams at home this year online. The exams will be deemed like many college exams-open notes. However, the timing for all exams this year is 45 minutes total. Many tests will consist of two FRQ’s during that time period. In order to avoid cheating the College Board has created a lockdown browser and a time constraint.
The exams this year will take place from May 11th to May 22nd.
