How does the AP Class advance your student’s academic career?

Your child has been working hard all year in an AP class. They have been experiencing college level academics, but what does this mean for them? Can they use these classes to earn college credit? Can they earn awards or scholarships? The answer to both of those questions is YES! The way to do so is through the AP Test.

About the AP Tests

There are 38 AP tests and though each is different, they do have some similarities. First, these exams are long. They are typically between two and three hours with limited breaks. It is possible to take more than one AP exam in one day, so students should be prepared for a mental marathon. The first part of most AP tests is multiple choice. Students will not be deducted for wrong answers; therefore, it is okay to guess. The second part of the exam is usually free-response questions, the contents of which depend on the specific class. The free response could be an essay, finding solutions to problems, or it can be an oral response.

Test Guidelines

To take any AP test, your student must first register to take the test. To do so, they must contact their AP coordinator, who will then collect the associated fees and tell them the date of their exam. You may find that your child is taking more than one AP class, and will be taking more than one AP Test. There are some rules that impact when you take the AP tests. For Calculus, a student may not take both Calculus AB and Calculus BC within the same year. If your student finds that the exams they are taking are scheduled for the same time, they may ask their AP coordinator to take one of the exams during the late-testing period.

If your student finds they would like to repeat an exam, that is allowed if they are in subsequent years. In this case, both scores will be reported unless your student requests that one be withheld.

How Best to Prepare

The AP tests will cover the entire year of material covered in their AP classes. This can be overwhelming for some students. Going over course material is a great starting point for studying for these exams. Some AP classes will also have study sessions that students may attend. If your student feels unprepared, seeking a tutor who specializes in the class topic can be useful. Tutors for the most common AP classes can be found at Learning Ascent Tutoring.