The unequivocal answer to this question is yes. 100 x yes = right answer!
I just had to make sure that we got that point across before we tell you why you need to take yet another standardized test and how best to prepare for the 2020 online version of the AP exams.
(Spoiler alert: we’ve prepared a set of practice guides on how to prepare for every available 2020 AP subject test. You can download all of our practice guides at the bottom of this post).
So, why should I be taking the AP 2020 Exams?
Recently, the College Board cancelled its April ACT and June SAT, leaving the future of these tests in limbo. The College Board’s online AP tests remain the only guaranteed opportunities for high-achieving students to demonstrate their college readiness.
At this point, it’s also difficult to say how students’ grades will factor into college admissions counselors' decisions, considering how many school districts are rethinking how to issue grades during this trying time.
As discussed in the New York Times, some districts have moved to a pass / incomplete grading system, given students the option to opt out of receiving letter grades, or, in the case of Seattle Public Schools, every high school student will receive either an A or an incomplete for the spring semester.
In short, students from the class of 2021 will have fewer officially recognized ways to show colleges that they’ve mastered the skills necessary for admission to highly selective colleges. Thus, the AP exams are opportunities you need to be taking advantage of.
So, how should students be preparing for the online AP Exams?
Step 1. Become familiar with the new testing format for your specific exam.
Each of the exams has been significantly shortened to around 40-45 minutes and they do not include multiple choice sections. Those are the two big pieces of information in addition to the fact that each exam will be administered online across the nation at the same time - regardless of time zone - with measures in place to prevent cheating.
You can look up the AP exam schedule and course-specific exam changes here.
Step 2. Realize this year’s AP exams present a unique opportunity.
The exams have been radically shortened and now cover less content than would have been on the full version of the test. This means that if you haven’t yet started studying intensely, there’s still hope you can earn a passing score... if you start now.
Step 3. Acknowledge the unique challenge of this year’s exams.
There will be no multiple-choice section, so students will need to practice their ability to formulate answers to free-response questions (FRQs).
FRQs can be a struggle to master. It’s daunting to: a) first correctly interpret the question then, b) fully answer each part of the problem within the given time constraints.
Finding the resources to practice and study for these types of questions is challenging, and getting useful feedback on how to improve your answers is also difficult without a highly knowledgeable instructor to grade your responses.
Step 4. Make a study plan and begin practicing answering practice test questions similar to the questions you will see on the 2020 AP Exam.
Review the AP test structure and the specific question types for the test you will be taking.
Gather appropriate practice materials and set a study plan leading up to the day of the test.
Practice answering these questions in the format of the test under timed conditions and in a manner that aligns with your chosen test-taking style for each subject.
How can PCH Tutors help in all of this?
We’ve implemented new online tutoring methods that are industry-leading and truly interactive for STEM subjects, which have been historically challenging to tutor online.
Our staff is full of experienced tutors with expert knowledge on AP subjects and how to format free-response answers correctly.
Our goal right now is to help students review the content of the AP tests for which they are preparing and master formulas for structuring their solutions to free-response questions so that they can use their time efficiently and earn the highest score possible on their exam. That is why we’ve prepared all of these study materials just for you.
As always, if you need an online tutor for your upcoming AP exams let us know!