The College Board changed three things for this year’s AP exams: format, location and dates. While the tests will be offered in-person and online, Houston ISD will choose administration dates for each subject between early May and mid June. 

The tests will also only allow forward navigation if taken online and are full length, as opposed to last year’s shortened version.

“I’ve been pretty stressed thinking about how the AP tests are gonna be this year,” junior Leisha Khapre said. “I was waiting for the day the College Board would release an announcement for the format of the 2021 test. When they released all the information about the new format I wasn’t sure how to feel, but now I feel very overwhelmed”. 

AP Psychology teacher Cerise Anderson said that this year’s format may actually help some students. 

“I personally think for AP Psychology, this year’s format is more beneficial because it is 66 percent multiple choice and 33 percent free response,” Anderson said. “Students perform better with multiple choice questions because it is easier to recognize the right answer than to recall it all on your own.” 

AP Language teacher Gabriela Diaz said that students have a disadvantage due to the way school has been conducted this year. 

“There is no ideal way for the tests to be conducted this year,” Diaz said.“However, at the end of the day, it is a college credit and a high school student will be motivated to do the best they can.”

Bellaire teachers took a survey ranking their preference of AP exam test dates. 

“We were given a form, and I thought the best choice for us would be the test dates in June because we have missed a lot of school and haven’t had much time to prepare,” Anderson said. 

For more information, visit the Bellaire AP Exam Information site and 2021 CollegeBoard AP Exams.