At 7:55 in the morning, the doors of the gym and Nichols Hall opened to let in students clustered outside, marking the start of two weeks of AP exams.
Tests for AP Chemistry, Psychology, and Environmental Science were the first to be held. Many students felt a hint of apprehension as they entered the test sites; while some relaxed, others reviewed study material with friends.
“I’m a little nervous,” Leo Yu (10) said. “I don’t think it’s as stressful as other people make it out to be. I think it’s just normal studying. I think the test will be pretty easy for me; I’ve prepared enough.”
Several students like Leo felt confident in their abilities before the test but wanted to complete the exam as quickly as possible.
“I just want to get this [AP Chemistry Test] over with,” Josh Bollar (12) said, calmly summing up his thoughts a few minutes before the doors opened.
Josh took AP Chemistry largely because of the college credit he would receive for passing the exam.
All testing was completed by the end of the school day, and test takers were excused from regular classes. Severals students reported feeling relief after the tests.
“I wasn’t that stressed out, but I didn’t want to do badly. It was okay overall,” Madelyn Wang (10) said.
Madelyn took the AP Chemistry test and continued to attend classes after the exam ended.
The two weeks of AP tests will also affect those who do not take the exams. School meetings and class meetings are canceled through the AP weeks, while bells are suspended to not disturb students taking the exam.
Although APs are stressful for some, Preeya Mehta (12) believe that her teachers had prepared her sufficiently for her AP Psychology test.
“I wasn’t that nervous. I knew that the teacher had prepared me pretty well, so I studied what I had to and had the morning to just wake up and relax. I was fine,” Preeya said after the exam.
AP exams will continue until May 17, and according to College Board, students will be able to view their results online in July.