As the year progresses, many fear for their future. COVID-19 has drastically changed the lives of millions throughout the world. As the pandemic has caused schools to shut down and transfer to online, students have stressed majorly over things such as standardized testing, graduation, and prom. One group of students who’s academic lives have been changed are the students in advanced placement or AP classes. With the future of COVID-19 still unknown, the College Board has moved the test to be on an online platform.

Advanced Placement tests determine the future of many students as to if they receive college credit or for their particular course. The classes that are considered AP are of high course rigger as if it were taught by actual college professors. Students spend all year learning a series of writing skills, learning how to master stimulus-based multiple-choice questions, and learning a large level of college material. At the end of the year, students are tested on these materials and this test determines whether or not they receive the college credit.

With schools around the country being closed, President Trump extending social distancing regulations to April 30, and the ultimate challenge of not knowing what may occur following that, College Board has been forced to switch to an online, 45 minute, free response test. The test will not cover the full curriculum usually studied in the course. This kind of test is very different from years past and many teachers have to completely change their style of teaching to fit the new test guidelines.

The AP test has taken a complete turn from a three-plus hour test with multiple choice and different writing practices to just a 45-minute exam with one-two free-response questions. As students across the country prepare for this new future of learning, they also prepare for their future beyond high school online.