In a manner similar to hurricane season in Florida or tornado season in the Midwest, there arises a season of paralleled apprehension for students that follows the end of each school year.  AP exam season. 

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Usually taking place in early May, AP exams are the culmination of a 2 semester long or for some schools, 1 semester long, Advanced Placement class. College Board, a non-profit membership organization, pioneered programs like the SAT, ACT, and AP exams to “…expand opportunities for students and help them develop the skills they need.” 

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The College Board defines the Advanced Placement program as “…college-level courses that high schools can choose to offer and corresponding AP Exams that are administered once a year.” The rigor and intensity of these classes allows students to experience what a college-level course feels like.  If students succeed and receive a good enough score on the exam corresponding to their class, it presents the possibility to earn college credit if the college accepts the score.

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Among the thousands of students who have taken AP exams this year is Lilliana Cerruti, a sophomore at Nazareth Academy, a college preparatory school in La Grange Park, Illinois. Cerruti is no stranger to honors classes, but she describes AP as a “different breed, in simpler terms.” 

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A testament to the term “advanced” in Advanced Placement, the courses typically require longer amounts of time and focus, in comparison to an average or honors class. Cerruti corroborates this point: “I wish I would’ve knocked out all of my homework for my regular classes in school, so I could’ve just focused on AP prep at home.”  Combined with other classes, extracurricular activities, and the plethora of other responsibilities, it’s no surprise that balancing the workload can become overwhelming at times. 

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Given the challenges of handling APs, understanding useful tips and tricks becomes crucial for students to do well. The Princeton Review, a test preparation company, recommends for students to start preparing for their exams up to 3 months in advance, giving themselves enough time to get used to the formatting of the test  

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As an AP European History Student, Cerruti says, “my advice to students taking an AP class next year is just to brace yourself and prepare to analyze texts and concepts. Be prepared for lengthy homework assignments, take good notes, and pay close attention in class, because it’ll help in the long run.” 

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While in the long run, AP scores are beneficial, being an AP student is very time consuming and requires great time management skills. Despite the fact that scores can be sent to colleges and can allow students to earn a college credit, it is evident that this requires a process which proves to be stressful for many students. 

Sources 

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“AP at a Glance – AP Central | College Board.” Apcentral.collegeboard.org,    apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/ap-a-glance#:~:text=The%20Advanced%20Placement. Accessed 1 June 2024.

College Board. “What Is AP? – AP Students | College Board.” Apstudents.collegeboard.org, apstudents.collegeboard.org/what-is-ap.

“5 Ways to Review for Your APs.” Www.princetonreview.com, www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/ap-exams#:~:text=When%20should%20I%20start%20studying.

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