A switch has been made requiring students attending public high schools throughout the nation to now register to take their AP tests a semester earlier, unlike having to register second semester as in the past. 

Many students are upset, believing that the time allotted in previous years gave students the chance to properly evaluate how well they are doing in their class at that current time, and whether or not the possibility of passing the AP test three months later would be in their favor. 

Many seniors claim that they do not know which colleges they plan on applying to therefore they are unsure of which credits they need in order to attend their college so the change could harm them but the change is actually beneficial. 

A late-fee of $40 applies to students who decide past the initial registration date that they wish to take the AP test. Speculation accuses the College Board of changing the registration date with the intention of scamming students of their money and earn more profit when they make their decision too late, which would not make sense considering the College Board is a non-profit organization.

The change creates a longer time period for students to prepare for the AP Test since knowing in advance that they are going to take the test, students become more committed and begin placing more time and effort into understanding their classes. 

“Schools that have moved up their test registration have shown an increase in students that stay motivated throughout the school year and want to prepare for the exam,” said history teacher John Baker. 

According to College Board, the motive behind the change has been proven by several studies to improve test scores, making comparisons with schools whose AP Test registration date was later in the school year versus schools who registered earlier. 

Students are now expected to have an idea of which colleges they want to go to, and though this might be a minor setback, it will ultimately only prove to be useful. Students now have a bigger picture of their future, and most students taking an AP class plan on taking the AP test anyways. 

“I don’t mind the change because I knew I was going to take the test,” said junior Aileen Pham. 

The new registration date may place excessive pressure on students to decide how hard they plan on working toward the goal of achieving a three or higher on the AP test but, in the grand scheme, it provides more opportunities for self-growth and allows students to better prepare for their future and earn their desired test score.