By Nikhil Krishnamoorthi, Quill Writer
As Advanced Placement (AP) exam season begins at River Hill High School, the atmosphere inside the building changes drastically. During the first two weeks of May, River Hill students follow an intricate schedule as AP exams take place throughout the school day. Morning exams start around 8 a.m., while afternoon exams start around 12 p.m., causing students to miss several class periods depending on which test they are taking. Hallways are filled with students carrying review books and calculators, classrooms become study sessions, and conversation about FRQ’s, DBQ’s and multiple choice strategies that dominate the school day. At River Hill, AP exams are not merely tests that happen at the end of the year. They are weeks of preparation, stress, determination and personal expectation all coming together on exam day.
Throughout the school year, AP courses are known for their fast pace and demanding workload. But as May arrives, the pressure intensifies. Students have to balance studying with sports practices, extracurricular activities, jobs and responsibilities at home, all while trying to perform well on exams that many believe could impact their college future.
Junior Wesley Husler says, “AP exams are mind boggling, I have a job and I have at home responsibilities all while studying for four exams that are getting stressful as the exam dates approach.” Indeed, many students enroll in several AP classes at once. For many students it’s stressful to take four, five or even six AP courses during the same school year. While students often challenge themselves to build strong college applications, the workload can become difficult when exam season rolls around.
For seniors at River Hill, AP exams also represent one of the final major academic milestones before graduation. After years of honors and AP coursework, many students see the exams as the final stretch of their high school journey. Senior Nathan Markos states, “As I’m about to graduate, AP exams are the last thing before I’m officially done with high school.”
Even with the pressure, AP exam season also creates a sense of unity among students. Friends study together after school, quiz each other before exams and support one another throughout the stressful weeks of testing. Outside testing rooms, students gather discussing essay prompts, difficult questions, and discussing predictions for upcoming exams. Junior Jonathan Krum explains, “One week before the exam I was on a call with my friends and we talked about questions that we thought were easy and difficult but overall, talking to my friends about the exam made me feel more calm.”
As AP testing continues throughout May, River Hill students will continue balancing preparation, pressure and perseverance. While exam scores may eventually arrive months later, many students state the experience of taking AP classes teaches them lessons far beyond academics. It teaches students how far they have come in the AP class they took and shows the success they achieved throughout the year.