COVID-19 Effects: Advanced Placement Exams

In what is truly an unprecedented situation, this year, several international boards have cancelled their end-of-year examinations. However, for students preparing for the Advanced Placement exams (AP), there is some good news. In light of the current pandemic, The College Board surveyed 18,000 students to discern whether they should offer online testing and the answer was a whopping YES!

For students who have already registered, this year’s AP exams will be conducted online from May 11– 22, 2020. To increase accessibility to the exam, students can give these exams on either a smartphone, a laptop, a desktop or a tablet. Additionally, depending on the student’s preference, they can either type and upload their work or write responses by hand and submit a photo. 

In terms of the actual exam, they have been cut shorter and will be only 45 minutes, rather than the standard 3 hours. All exams will be ‘open book and open notes’. Students will be tested on their ability to apply concepts that they have studied over the course of the year. Along with this, The College Board has also devised a contingency for students that have faced connectivity issues or have not been able to sit the test in May. They will be able to take makeup exams from June 1-5, 2020. For specific information on testing dates, students can refer to the AP Exam Schedule 2020.    

The College Board has also spoken to colleges across the US, who have been receptive to these changes and will provide 2020 exam takers with credit. Recently, the University of California System announced that they recognise students’ efforts and will “provide UC credit for 2020 AP exams completed with scores of 3, 4 or 5, consistent with previous years.”

Registrations for the upcoming May 2020 APs are now closed. Students looking to prepare for APs and sit the test from May 3-14, 2021, can use this time to register and prepare for APs by using free online resources. A first-of-its-kind initiative, The College Board is now working with 60 tutors and conducting free online live sessions on YouTube in all 38 AP courses. Towards the end of April, The College Board will also release live simulations of the online exam pattern to familiarise students with the changed testing format. 

For more information on this year’s AP policy, watch this recorded presentation by Trevor Packer, Senior Vice President of Advanced Placement and Instruction. If you have any questions, get in touch with us.