Maddy Friedman ’25
How many AP classes are too many? Three? Four? Even five? No matter how many AP classes a student takes, I’m sure no one appreciates the stressful couple of weeks before the AP exams and the relatively disappointing results that come after.
Even though the school stresses doing well on the AP exams, they mean nothing. Truthfully, the AP exams do not reflect a student’s academic abilities and induce unnecessary stress. These tests do not affect a student’s grades and have very little effect on whether or not you get into college. A person’s scores mostly function as nice validation for a student’s hard work during the year over anything else.
If I had the choice—and I am sure many students would agree with this—I would opt out of taking the exams altogether; however, I was disgusted to find out that the school forced me to take the AP exams despite my reservations.
The preparation leading up to the exams was just as bad as the actual exams. As I was taking my first AP exams this year, I felt nervous, especially since many of my classmates were familiar with the tests, having already taken one last year. During my exams, uncertainty coursed through my body as I was unsure how the AP readers would grade my answers. Now, I anxiously await my results as a gnawing fear eats away at me with the approach of the summer.
Even though my teachers did a good job prepping me for my exams, that did not take away from the difficulty of the tests. For me, the exams were strenuous for two main reasons: the content of the test and my extended time.
The content of the test is supposed to be a culmination of everything that students learned in the year. Yet, I felt that some exams prioritized information from some units over others. The elevation of only certain materials proved especially problematic in extensive courses that necessitated I demonstrate knowledge of many units that ultimately did not appear on the exam.
Moreover, my 100% extended time became a hindrance instead of an advantage when taking the AP exams.
Over my high school career, I have understood how to use my extended time to the best of my ability, and it has proven useful on tests and assignments. However, having extended time for the AP exams made it harder for me to stay focused and motivated. Many people experience a surge of adrenaline when taking tests they are rushing to complete. My problem was that with so much time, I felt no urgency to complete my work and became extremely annoyed.
If I had been allowed to leave after I finished the test, then maybe I would have felt compelled to finish at a faster pace.
For two of my three exams, I was forced to stay in the testing room until the total extended time ran out. With almost one hour left to spare, I was unable to go home or even walk outside of the testing room.
While I have articulated my disdain for AP exams, it does not mean I believe we should throw out the exams altogether. I think that students should have a choice if they want to take the exams depending on what they want to pursue in college, not be forced to take them by the school.
Photograph by Rycor