College Board makes changes to the AP test deadline
October 11 is the new deadline for AP exam registration.
October 11, 2019
This year the College Board made some changes to the curriculum for the five AP classes, and every class received a new AP curriculum guide. Along with these updates, the most major change for students, at this point in the school year, is that the deadline to order an AP Exam has been moved up to, today, October 11.
The new October 11 deadline for AP exam registration, decided by the College Board, means that any exam ordered after this point will have a $40 late fee added to it.
The reason for this change given by the College Board is that, statistically, students are more committed to the class if they decide on taking the exam early on. The College Board believes that students will be required to take the class seriously if they paid for and need to take an exam, and they believe this will be both better for the schools and students. “That’s what they put out there as their philosophy, is that it will be better for the students––it will be better for the schools because they have better test scores,” BSM Guidance Counselor Amanda Anderson said.
The changes made to the AP ordering process appear to be permanent, as last year there were a number of pilot schools this change was tested on, and the College Board decided to go through with it this year. However, not everyone is on board with this change. “What I’ve been hearing from a lot of students and parents and AP coordinators and teachers is that the old system worked just fine,” Anderson said.
What I’ve been hearing from a lot of students and parents and AP coordinators and teachers is that the old system worked just fine. — Amanda Anderson
Seniors might be disproportionately affected by this change, as they generally tend to take more AP courses. According to Anderson, as the year goes on and one gets a feel for the class they decide which ones they want to stick with, and this change would force them to do that earlier. “It’s really when it comes down to senior year, and you’re taking a lot more and feeling a little more overwhelmed that students go: maybe I don’t need to take all these,” Anderson said.
The need to make an early decision can add stress for seniors during a hectic time of the year. “When I think about the greater picture, it’s also a burden for families and for students and for sure for the teachers, too,” Anderson said.
