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College Board changes AP testing format due to COVID-19 closings

High school students will take their Advanced Placement exams from home. Tests will be 45 minutes with only extended response questions.

MACON, Ga. — Students who take Advanced Placement courses take on a rigorous work load all year, but it all comes down to the final exam where they have to score a three or higher to get college credit.

Despite COVID-19 closings, College Board wanted to make sure their hard working students still got a chance to take the test.

"This is what the students wanted. They wanted to still have the privilege to be able to still test and earn their college credit," Howard High School AP Calculus teacher Deloris Mercer said.

College Board decided to go ahead with AP testing after surveying what their students wanted.

"The test is normally a four-hour test where they have two parts. One part is multiple choice, and the other part is constructive response, and they have a calculator part and non-calculator part," Mercer said.

Bibb County Schools Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Floyd Jolley explains how the tests will change now that students are home because of the virus.

"The students will take it at home. It will only be a 45-minute test. It's not going to have any multiple choice questions on it. It's only going to be those extended response questions," Jolley said.

He says there are honesty guidelines in place for students to follow. Mercer says calculus students will get an advantage they've never had before.

"There's testing security still as always, and students will not be able to cheat. It's open note. This is really huge. This test is open notes, and it's never been before," Mercer said.

Even though test formats have changed, she says the content stays the same.

"We still are striving for the five, and I believe that all the students will earn their college credit. They have an opportunity to earn it," Mercer said.

Students have the option to submit responses on the test itself when they receive it through email.

They can also work on a document on their phone, tablet or computer and upload it to the testing site, or they can write out their responses on paper, take pictures of it and upload it that way.

AP exams will be held May 11 - 22. You can find the full schedule on College Board's website.

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