In March, the winter weather is clearing up, but for many high school students, the school year is not winding down. We all know it: the countdown on the whiteboard, the practice tests and the seemingly endless review books. Over a two week span, students will be tested on the information (or lack thereof) they have obtained over the course of the year. But unlike final exams, which occur just weeks later, material in other classes are still presented to students during AP testing. This means that while they take AP exams, students are still responsible for actual coursework in non-AP classes that continue until early June. Because they must simultaneously study for exams and complete coursework, students taking AP exams get double the work and double the stress for students taking AP exams. So why take these exams in the first place?

Don’t get me wrong, I think there are plenty of benefits to the AP courses. First of all, they give a student’s weighted grade point average (WGPA) a nice boost. This allows students to achieve over a 4.0 GPA on a 5.0 scale, something that makes a student more competitive when applying for college. Additionally, although most students only consider the WGPA boost when selecting classes, it is important to remember that AP courses are called “advanced” for a reason. They are supposed to be stimulating courses that help prepare high school students for college-level workloads. Students will be forced to balance their time between AP work and their regular courseload. By taking AP courses in high school, students will be better prepared for college.

But the exam itself is a totally different story. In mid-May of each year, AP exams are tests presented to students on all course material, in hopes that these students will perform well enough to earn college credit. Mind you, only those who earn a three, four or a five (out of a five point scale) may be eligible to receive this college credit, which is mostly used to place out of entry-level courses (e.g. Intro to Chemistry). It is up to the individual college to decide which, if any, AP credits they accept. For example, the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) accepts AP credit for most courses, which can be very helpful to students who choose to attend UMCP. Coming into UMCP with AP credits, which may count as elective credits, could increase a student’s standing in the school, allowing them benefits such as better course schedules and higher dorm lottery numbers. However, for students who don’t end up attending schools that accept the credit, the time and the money spent preparing for these exams can be better spent elsewhere. According to counselor director Dennis Reynolds, who highly encourages students to take the exams, most colleges have said that AP exam scores generally do not factor into the admissions process. However, Reynolds said that taking many AP courses but few AP exams is frowned upon, especially by more selective colleges.

Talking about the exam is one thing, but sitting through it is another, and let’s face it: not all of us are natural born test takers. Furthermore, a single $87 dollar test dictates your entire AP exam grade. There is no arguing that test taking skills are crucial to one’s success, but perhaps these AP exams add an undue amount of pressure and stress onto students during a part of the year where many are already mentally checked out.

So yes, while AP courses are absolutely beneficial, students need to realize that taking the corresponding exam isn’t necessary for everyone. It should be encouraged for those who want to, and for those who want to reap its true benefits: college credit. But at the moment, many students feel compelled, for whatever reason, to take these AP exams when in reality they may not be helpful to students in the long run. Students who have a lot on their plate during the month of May, or are not good test takers, shouldn’t have to feel the extra burden. Nearly every teacher or counselor will encourage students to take the exam as well, and they should. Pushing students is their job. But students know themselves best, and they know their true limitations, so they, themselves should make the final decision on whether to take the exam.