AP season is almost here: final updates and scheduling
By Rachel Levin, Copy Editor
On March 15, Samo confirmed its dates and protocols for the 2021 AP exams. The dates are later than they would be during a normal school year and the option of in-person or at-home testing is available to accommodate for COVID-19.
The earliest dates for exams are May 4 and 5, which are for language exams that must be taken in person since there is a speaking portion. All other exams are scheduled for late May and early June, with the latest date being June 9 for Calculus AB and BC. Physics 1 and C will also take place on June 9, if those students choose at-home testing. A full list of dates is available on the Samo website under the Students tab. However, no matter if a student goes to school or stays at home, all tests will be taken on a computer. The fact that the dates have been pushed back accounts both for students to have extra preparation time and for the CollegeBoard and teachers to prepare and get used to new technology.
With a completely new test-taking system, some teachers have mixed opinions. Matthew Flanders, a history teacher who has worked at Samo for over 25 years, has his reservations.
“I think that it is good to be able to sit, without a computer, and take a test. Part of me also knows that kids cheat a lot on my exams by using technology. Taking out that temptation would be a more accurate assessment,” Flanders said.
These dates apply to international tests too, but in a different way than they normally would. In-person exams will start at different times depending on the time zone, but online exams will begin at a synchronized time all over the world. That means that if a test starts at 8 a.m. in California, students in Tokyo would have to take that test at 1 a.m. This has sparked controversy among students in countries that have significant time differences who argue that this is an unfair protocol since they will not be taking the exam under the same conditions as students in the U.S.
Unlike past years, students do not get to choose their exam date. Teachers choose one date for all their students and students must work around that. Other changes to the test taking process include inability to go back to previous questions and mandatory computer use for test taking. These changes, along with those previously mentioned, are not popular with students.
“This will drastically increase the difficulty of the online exams compared to the in-person exams. It also puts unfair challenges on people without access to a computer and people who are not comfortable typers,” Josh Teichman (’21) said.
Samo has tried to combat the inherent inequities in testing by providing school computers and school wifi for students who may not have the best internet connection at home. Lauren Paule-Sheehan, O-house principal, who had a hand in making these coordination decisions, commented on the difficulties of scheduling.
“We are not certain who will be on campus during AP testing. We are not able to test large groups of kids in the gym like we usually do. Finding a space to test with the covid restrictions was difficult,” Paule-Sheehan said.
The last update from the CollegeBoard is that the deadline for portfolio submissions for AP Art and Design and AP Computer Science Principles as well as AP Seminar and AP Research performance tasks will be extended to May 20. Other than that, the AP exams will not change drastically in content like they did in 2020. The main changes will be made in administration.
