AP Exams were the talk of the school. Some are back-to-back or on separate days, but they were all causing the same stress. 

These exams were taken through a two-week period with different days focusing on different classes. For example, the AP US Government class takes their exam from Monday morning until the middle of the day. 

Exams are graded from 1-5, 5 being the best and 1 being the worst. If you get 3 points, you have the potential to get credits for the class when in college; this would depend on what requirements you are given. 

Victoria Fuentes, a senior who took the AP US Gov exam said, “At first I did feel a bit anxious, but as I was taking the exam I had a hint of confidence. After the exam I was relieved and it was also a bittersweet moment as it was my last AP exam.” 

She had prepared by watching videos and rereading lectures on things she didn’t understand so well. “My AP Gov teacher did prepare us as I mentioned before, and she did provide us with mock exams that I was not able to attend but she also provided us with opportunities of taking practice MCQs and FRQs throughout the year,” Fuentes elaborated. 

Fuentes advises, “It is something everyone is tired of hearing, but studying is a must. It will bring up your confidence and relieve so much anxiety and stress.” This was the sole reason why she believed she was confident before, during, and after the test.

Vincent Lim, a freshman taking AP Bio, isn’t so confident about the tests. He says, “I am in the middle because although I think I can get a good score on the exam, I also think I am not quite ready yet to get a score like 4 or 5.” 

Lim describes, “Due to the homework and the studying needed for AP Bio, I sometimes skip a session of extracurriculars to make time for me to study or finish any assignments.”

He expressed the stress that has come with taking an AP but still continues to study and practice certain skills. “I am preparing and studying by reading the official AP bio book given by the school, looking up YouTube videos related to my AP Bio topics, and looking at the slides my teacher has posted,” said Lim.

Kimberly Martinez, another senior, is taking three AP Exams this year, two of which she has already completed. 

“I completed both exams on Monday though, so now my focus is on Calc. For this exam, I am studying by reviewing past exams available online and trying to solve the questions myself. This past week, my class did a mock exam, so I am retrying to solve the problems I got incorrect as a way of studying,” explains Martinez. She adds that her teacher has been helping her and other students after class to study and practice concepts. 

Unlike AP Calc, it was easier for Martinez to grasp concepts from AP Spanish and AP Gov. “Ms. Rojas has also been doing a great job teaching the curriculum all year. Although history classes have a reputation for being boring, taking notes in her class has always been enjoyable and I actually really learned to love politics this past year because of her,” she says.

The same went for AP Spanish. “All throughout the year, Ms. Ardagna has kept me captivated in learning about the obras. Initially, the fact that there were 38 texts as required reading was intimidating, but I’ve never enjoyed a class more than AP Spanish Lit. I feel like I’ve learned so much outside of just literature by being in her class.” she further explained. 

Ashlyn Castro, a junior taking all AP classes is confident about scoring high in all her exams. She states, “I’m fairly confident for most of my exams as it’s something my teachers have been preparing me for all year. Balancing more than one AP class is definitely time-consuming. I spend a lot of my time studying, so I am bound to store at least some information in my hippocampus.”

While balancing school extracurriculars and out-of-school activities on top of 6 APs, Castro follows a strict schedule during AP season. “Being a part of several extracurriculars in and outside of school means I have made a commitment that I have to dedicate time towards. Participating in extracurriculars during this time is personally a good thing for me as I can use that time for breaks in between studying while being productive,” she continued. 

Castro completed one of six exams and explained the relief she felt, “Just from that one test alone I can say I am already extremely relieved. Overall I’m definitely stressed out, but I believe with plenty of studying and having a positive mindset, I will perform just fine and I will succeed.” 

Castro is using mock exams and past AP exams as learning tools, studying questions and reviewing answers to help her see where she stands in each subject. 

Studying and reviewing is the only thing you can do for these exams, but it is the most important factor. Keeping a consistent schedule and maintaining a good balance is key to the success of your exam. Wish you all luck Huskies!