The clock is ticking, and AP late registration is now open. Students who have missed the deadline still have the option to register, however, with a late fee. College Board, which oversees important tests such as AP tests, SAT, and other major exams, controls these fees. These fees have been an area of rising concern, both amongst students and their parents.
The purpose of AP tests is to allow students to earn college credit, so they do not have to take certain classes later in college. To earn that credit, students must score a three or higher on the exam. However, before they have the chance to take the exam in May, the student must pay a fee of $100 per exam. This cost has been rising over the years, and students and their parents have began questioning why AP testing has become so expensive.
With students taking multiple exams, these expenses can become significant. Some students take up to six AP classes, resulting in a cost of $600 to have the exams graded. For families dealing with financial challenges, this is a substantial cost.
The late registration costs an additional $40 per exam. Add together the original cost with the late fee, and for someone taking the exams, it could reach $840 total. Ultimately, for every day a student misses the deadline, there are fines applied. While some families can accommodate the higher costs, most cannot.
Prosper students who take multiple difficult AP classes should receive credit for their hard work, not face extra costs simply for taking the exams. Students believe that AP testing will lower their overall costs by giving them college credit, but do not understand that some colleges may not accept their AP scores. Since every college has its own credit policy, and most students do not know what college they will attend, they cannot reliably plan ahead. They will take and pay for AP exams that may not even benefit them in college.
Those who take many AP classes and challenge themselves should be rewarded instead of being fined heavy amounts just to take the test. Although students take AP exams to earn college credit, some universities do not accept the credit from College Board.
Students who miss the initial deadline have until March to register, however, the late fee still applies. To register, students must use AP classroom, pay the required fees online, and be enrolled in the correct AP class section. Even cancelling an exam comes with a fee. And the longer the student waits the more the cancellation fee increases. Students end up paying more money simply for trying to adjust their plans.
Although the actual AP test is all the way in May, deadlines to pay the fees are in October. While College Board needs to know early, in order to plan ahead and order the appropriate exams, this deadline is too strict. Students are still getting used to their classes and are not fully sure if they want to take the AP test for a certain class yet. By putting an early deadline, the non-profit puts pressure on students to register for the AP test.
The increasing costs of AP testing and the extreme penalties for late payment are an unfair burden on students who attempt to challenge themselves academically. Rather than encouraging students who are taking on rigorous workloads, these high costs can be a deterrent for students who wish to take these tests.
This article was edited by Trisha Panicker, Kate Duncan and Victoria Byers.
