The AP exams are something that every AP student dreads each year. The AP exams are sent out by the College Board and are taken in May every year.

The exam leaves students with tons of anxiety for the most part and students usually start preparing around two-three months in advance. The max score for the exam is a 5 and lowest is a 1. I recently prepared for my first exam which was on May 11, and for AP World History. In order to pass, I need to earn a 3 or higher. Working on DBQs (Document Based Questions) and studying carefully for the exam is a lot of pressure and can get a little stressful at times. Other AP students also have different ways of preparing before the exam, but in AP World History, we have been practicing the writing portions constantly.

Next year I’ll have three AP exams to take in May but for now I’ll only be worried about the world history exam. If you don’t earn a 3 or higher, it kind of feels like the whole class was a waste of time because then you’re left with no college credit. This makes the AP exams feel much more challenging than your regular tests or exams. Even though it seems like the exam has many cons, the worst part is that even if you fail, the score on your exam doesn’t affect your GPA so no one has to worry about their grades suffering. I won’t know how well I did until I receive my scores in July.

Although exams in general can be very nerve-wracking and make students feel anxious or scared, if you study enough and put in the effort you shouldn’t feel as scared. At the end of the day, the exam helps you more than it can hurt you.