Gina Germano

The beginning of Advanced Placement (AP) test season highlights the large number of students currently taking AP classes and tests.
Whether it’s because of the decrease in college acceptance rates forcing the need to be more competitive, or an increased interest in challenging classes, the number of students taking AP tests and classes has been steadily increasing.
Over the next two weeks, Cal High will administer about 2,200 AP exams. Around 39 percent of Cal’s 2,883 students, or almost 1,125 students, will be taking at least one test, Cal’s college and career counselor Kathryn Nichols said.
By comparison, 678 AP tests were taken in 2006, with about 364, or 14 percent of Cal’s 2,598 students, taking exams, according to Cal’s 2012-2013 self-study report.
In 2012, the number of tests taken increased by about 5 percent when 255 more tests were administered than in 2006. The number of students taking those 933 tests also increased to about 487, or 19 percent of Cal’s 2,559 students.
“I can see many reasons why [students] want to [take the test] but it’s a mixed bag,” Nichols said.
The number of students in the United States who have taken an AP test has increased by 218,503 students between 2012 and 2022, according to the College Board. This means there has been an average increase of around 21,850 students per year. This represents about a 23 percent increase of AP class takers over the decade.
Just between 2012 and 2013, the number of students taking at least one AP test in the U.S. increased by 49,437 students.
In 2012, about 18 AP tests were offered at Cal, but the number of tests offered has slowly increased over the years to 25 exams this year.
As more classes and tests have been added to the pre-existing list, there is a greater variety of courses for students to choose from.
Students can also take a self-study AP course if the class isn’t offered at Cal. Then they can request to take the AP test on campus for that course. For example, German and Physics C AP exams are going to be administered at Cal this month despite neither class being offered.
In October, students begin signing up for AP tests at a cost of $135 apiece. There’s also a $50 late fee for students who sign up for tests between Nov. 20 and March 1.
Most students are willing to pay these costs with the hopes of earning college credit for earning a score between 3 and 5.
“I don’t want to have to repeat this class in college,” sophomore Tanisha Medakkar said, about her AP European History test.
Next school year, Medakkar plans to take five AP classes and the test for each one with the hope of earning college credits for those classes as well.
Junior William Li is currently taking six AP tests and next year is planning to take four. He said he is taking them to save money on college classes.
Another factor that may play a role in a student’s decision to take an AP test is whether the test is online or on paper. For certain tests, essays are required to be written by hand, which . may be more time consuming than typing it online.
“We on our end will try to push a lot of these digital exams just because we are a one-to-one district,” assistant principal Oriana Yanes said . “[Students] have their chromebooks and it’s less paperwork not only arriving at school but sorting [the tests] and then sending them back [to the College Board] for grading.”
The main conclusion gathered is that rigor of schedule has become increasingly more common, as a way to boost one’s college application and impress admissions officers.
“Getting into colleges has become way more challenging,” Yanes said. “There seems to be an understanding that the more AP classes you take, the better chance you have of getting into your dream school.”