By Abigail Brandwein
As registration deadlines approach, many high school students are voicing concerns over the growing cost of Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The College Board, which is the organization who administers AP tests, now charges $98 per exam for most subjects, alongside additional fees for late registration. Furthermore, they charge up to $128 for international students, despite the test being consistent worldwide. For students taking multiple AP courses, these costs can quickly and easily add up to hundreds of dollars.
AP exams, typically taken in May, allow students to earn college credit or advanced placement if they achieve a high enough score – typically a 3 or above, on a 5-point scale. While these exams have the potential, if scored well, to save families money on college tuition, the upfront costs present a large financial burden, particularly for students who come from low- or middle- income households.
Some schools attempt to ease the heavy costs by covering part of the fee, or using grants to subsidize exams for qualifying students. The College Board also offers fee reductions, lowering the price to $36 per test for eligible applicants. However, not all students meet the income requirements for assistance, leaving many students and their families in a difficult middle ground – earning too much for aid, but not enough to comfortably supply the charge.
In districts where AP course participation is strongly encouraged, such as Irvington High School, the rising costs have also highlighted compounding costs for exemplary students. “This year, I’m taking four AP classes”, says Ronan Kenny, a junior at Irvington High School. “Between each course, the exams add up to an insane amount of money”.
With growing emphasis on college readiness and access, students and their families are in need of a broader solution for the price of AP tests, whether through district funding, state support, or changes by the College Board itself. In order to ensure that cost doesn’t become a barrier to academic opportunities, AP exams need to become more affordable for students everywhere.
Comments are closed.