AP Testing will occur later than usual this school year, beginning Monday, May 6, and lasting through Friday, May 17, according to College Board. The change has the potential to impact many Naperville North senior students’ plans, as their final (half) day falls on Thursday, May 16.
Seniors will be attending first through WIN periods, then, per NNHS tradition, participating in a ‘beach day’ at Centennial Beach. With AP tests such as AP Spanish Language and Culture on the morning of the 16th, AP Biology on the afternoon of the 16th, AP German Language and Culture and AP Physics 1 on the morning of the 17th and AP Physics 2 on the afternoon of the 17th, many seniors are facing dilemmas over how to navigate their academic and social responsibilities. NNHS senior and AP Spanish Language student Annie Chang elaborates on her feelings surrounding the AP Spanish Language test and its conflict with Exit with Pride.
“I was more disappointed than anything, and I was trying to figure out if I could somehow make everything work,” Chang said.
Last year, AP testing ended on Friday, May 12, avoiding any problematic intersections with Exit with Pride and the beach day. Having ordered over 1,700 AP tests, NNHS Testing Coordinator Susan Brown speaks on the intricacies of AP scheduling.
“Really, when it comes to AP testing, we [NNHS] have zero control over the scheduling,” Brown said.
While some seniors like Elle Banas, who is taking the AP Spanish test, have an overall positive outlook on the impacts on their schedule, Banas admits that the current time of the exam is not ideal.
“I kind of wanted to have my AP tests kind of the week before, so I could just have an easy week of senior year, but I still have to study and prep,” Banas said.
While deciding whether to take the AP Spanish exam, Chang thoroughly weighed her options, highlighting her final decision and reasoning being centered around receiving college credit.
“This morning, I was thinking what college credits they would take, and I do want the credits to get out of some of my classes…I just decided like, concrete, I’m going to stick with it,” Chang said.
Brown discusses some of her insights on the struggle to decide whether or not to take an AP test and potentially miss out on other events or duties.
“Personally, I would think that, as a senior, you’re always going to have conflicts and this is going to be one of them in life…you have to make choices,” Brown said.
