The College Board announced that Advanced Placement (AP) exams would be open-note in an email to Advanced Placement (AP) coordinators obtained by the Paly Voice. The announcement comes after the College Board’s decision to make the exams 45 minutes long and taken from home. The email states, “In an attempt to offer students a college-like experience, they are open to use the resources provided to best answer the exam questions.”
With the exact format of most exams still unknown, this further throws into question what skills and content knowledge will be tested on the exam. The online exam format had already made cheating a big concern; however, the College Board tried to remedy those concerns by stating in a tweet, “They [the exams] will measure skills that can’t be learned from Google or chats with friends.”[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]In an attempt to mitigate inequities stemming from distance learning, the College Board has started producing review sessions taught by AP instructors across the country on their MyAP platform and YouTube. They have also changed the material covered on the AP exams, removing later units that teachers might have been unable to teach due to school shutdowns.
In response to these changes, junior Emily Xi said, “I just think it’s really frustrating for people who have been studying hard because at this point it doesn’t even feel like a test anymore. But it’s probably for the best since it may stop some people from engaging in larger-scale cheating (hiring private tutors or calling friends) because they feel more secure with their notes.”
Below is a list of the new exam formats and the corresponding dates of their exams. Each exam lasts 45 minutes and can be taken on any device with internet connection. For further details, visit the AP Central website.
Calculus AB and BC – two FRQs | May 12 @ 11 a.m.
Biology – two FRQs | May 18 @ 11 a.m.
Chemistry – two FRQs | May 14 @ 11 a.m.
Environmental Science – two FRQs | May 18 @ 1 p.m.
Physics C: Mechanics – two FRQs | May 11 @ 9 a.m.
Computer Science: Principles – No exam, Create and Explore tasks only | Due May 26 @ 8:59 p.m.
Computer Science: Java – two FRQs | May 15 @ 1 p.m.
Statistics – two FRQs | May 22 @ 11 a.m.
Chinese – two FRQs: Conversation and Cultural Comparison Presentation | May 18 @ 9 a.m.
French – two FRQs: Conversation and Cultural Comparison Presentation | May 21 @ 9 a.m.
Spanish – two FRQs: Conversation and Cultural Comparison Presentation | May 22 @ 1 p.m.
Latin – two short answer questions | May 12 @ 9 a.m.
United States History – modified five-document DBQ | May 15 @ 11 a.m.
European History – modified five-document DBQ | May 13 @ 1 p.m.
English Language – Rhetorical Analysis essay | May 20 @ 11 a.m.
English Literature – Prose Fiction Analysis essay | May 13 @ 11 a.m.
Art History – One long essay and one short essay | May 15 @ 9 a.m.
Studio Art – Portfolio requirement shortened to ten pieces | Due May 26 @ 8:59 p.m.