Once more, AP tests are just around the corner and FVHS students have recently bought their exams. But are the costs of the AP tests worth the chance to get a good score?
The first thing to consider is the cost, and each test is eight-seven dollars. Each test. And if you’re an ambitious AP student, as most are, you are probably planning to take multiple AP tests.
To put it in perspective, if you take 4 AP exams the cost is three hundred and forty eight dollars.
Many people won’t be able to pay for the tests and will be forced to drop a test simply because of the cost. It’s saddening to see this happening and it is unfair to these students.
In addition, you aren’t guaranteed the score you want. As it always is when taking a test, there is always the fear of failure, which adds even more stress on AP students. It is especially nerve-wracking to think you may have shelled out all that money for a test you might not even pass. Not to mention most UC’s only accept scores of 4 or 5.
However, we do spend all year learning and preparing for the AP tests. Many teachers administer practice tests and lots of sample DBQ and FRQ questions during class and afterschool. And if you’re a good student, who works diligently throughout the year and studies for every test, and you somewhat study for the AP exam, you can easily get the score you want.
They also do have exam fee waivers for the tests. According to the LA Times, in December, they slashed the amount of money they had available for fee waiving. That means for low income students, the cost is now 15 dollars for the first three tests and moves up to 53 dollars for additional tests. Not to mention how much the AP test will save you if it eliminates a college class you would have had to take.
AP tests come at a sometimes burdensome cost, but they do help students move a little bit ahead. But the sad part is that no matter how much we complain, we will still end up taking the tests, regardless of if they help us or not. We’ll do it simply because we MIGHT pass, and we MIGHT be able to bypass the college class in the future.
