Students will take AP exams online due to coronavirus. Here’s how it will work
Students will still be able to take their AP exams after schools shut down because of the coronavirus, the College Board announced Friday.
Like many of their classes, the tests will now be online, according to a news release.
The College Board, which manages college entry exams like the SAT and PSAT in addition to AP tests, said it canceled the “traditional face-to-face exam administrations” in favor of a “streamlined” version.
“Colleges support this solution and are committed to ensuring that AP students receive the credit they have worked this year to earn,” College Board said. “For decades, colleges have accepted a shortened AP Exam for college credit when groups of students have experienced emergencies.”
Upcoming test dates for the ACT, which is administered independent of the College Board, and the SAT were already postponed.
But in a survey of 18,000 students enrolled in AP classes, College Board found 91 percent still wanted to the take their AP exams through whatever means possible.
According to Friday’s announcement, here’s how it will work:
- The tests will last 45 minutes and are designed to be taken online at home. Committees are still selecting the test questions.
- Because AP classes are taught differently across the country and some students have been out of school longer than others, the exams will only include material covered in class by early March.
- The “streamlined exams” will be available on computers, tablets and cellphones. Pictures of handwritten work will also be accepted.
- Teachers concerned about their low-income and rural students without access to technology are encouraged to let the College Board know using this form. They are planning to “invest” in tools to help bridge that divide.
- The tests will be protected by digital security tools to prevent cheating — “including plagiarism detection software.”
- Cancellation fees for those already registered to take AP exams will be waived.
- The tests will be administered on two different dates — one earlier for students who want to take it “while the content is still fresh” and one later for those who need more time to review.
- A full schedule of exams will be released April 3.
- Students will have free access to all practice questions.
- Students and teachers will also have access to free, live AP review courses starting March 25.
For more information, visit the College Board’s website.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the administrator of the ACT. The ACT is administered by an organization independent of the College Board. The article has been corrected to reflect that.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 2:57 PM.
