AP (Advanced Placement) classes are college-level courses offered in high school. Taking AP classes can boost a student’s GPA and strengthen college applications. At the end of the school year, AP exams are offered, and if they receive a high enough score, students will potentially earn college credit. AP courses are available in a wide variety of subjects, from Statistics to World History.
Typically, AP tests are administered at a different school rather than at each individual campus. For the past several years, Sahuaro High School students have traveled to Santa Rita High School to take their exams. At Santa Rita, students from across the district who are taking the same AP test are grouped together in a large room to complete the exam using traditional pencil, pen, and paper. However, earlier this year it was announced that, for the first time, AP tests will be administered digitally and will take place on Sahuaro’s own campus. This change was expected to make the testing process more convenient and accessible for students.
At first word of this, some students felt some uncertainty. Senior Zoe Forehand said that at first she was, “…a little apprehensive about testing being online, just because the Chromebooks are known to have issues with restarting randomly and other issues,” but she said that after doing the tests, she prefers them online. “It makes tests like AP literature so much easier when it comes to editing and writing the essay.”
Senior Jacob Lopez explained how doing the tests on the computer provided a sense of familiarity with the whole experience. “It feels normal just because of how much testing is already done online.” He also provided a similar sentiment towards the prompts requiring writing, saying it is “a lot easier compared to handwritten (exams) like with AP U.S. history.” Senior Jaya Martin critiqued the tests that required multiple test-taking mediums, saying she “thought it was unnecessary” for “tests where you had to have a separate booklet” in addition to the laptop.
Jacob said that what he misses about Santa Rita testing is that he’s no longer excused for the whole day, but also feels that it’s better due to the testing environment feeling more familiar. Junior Ava Landeen added, “It was nice not having to drive to another campus and be familiar with the school itself. It was way nicer in the classroom and not the freezing gyms!”
It was evident that students strongly preferred the environment as it just felt more welcoming and brought a more comforting feeling when you’re surrounded by the classmates you’ve had all year, during a very stressful time for many.
