The SAT, ACT, and AP tests are all common to take in the spring semester in preparation for the next school year. These tests are usually taken by juniors and seniors, but many sophomores also take them.

AP testing is in May and students and teachers said they are still unsure of what those weeks may hold. 

“Not knowing if the tests are online or in-person changes the format,” junior Erin Blasingame said. “I don’t want to handwrite and have any issues uploading, or if I’m typing, I want to practice so I’m better at it.”

Teachers are trying their best to give their students all of the resources they need to become successful while taking the test.                                          

“All I can do is offer high-quality instruction, meaningful and timely feedback, and motivation to succeed to the best of my abilities each day,” AP U.S. History teacher Olivia Basham said. “I need to trust my students that they can and will take on the task to their best abilities as well.”

As a first-year AP student, sophomore Brock Van Cleave is among several students who don’t feel prepared to take the test in May.

“I don’t believe I am going to be ready,” Van Cleave said. “It’s a huge test that not many people know what it’s going to look like because of online school, so all we can do is try our best with what we’re given.”

Each test is going to be in its full form, so teachers and students have to prepare accordingly.

“For English, there are three essays and a multiple-choice section,” AP English Language and Composition teacher Pam Tracy said. “Last year, they only did one essay and no multiple choice. I can understand how colleges might not feel that was enough to warrant awarding college credit, but I also think there needs to be some concession since this is not a ‘normal’ year.”   

Many teachers have taken into consideration what may need to be changed because of the format of school this year, but some teachers said they also believe their students have the capabilities of taking the full test. 

“This year we have had the time to prepare and it is appropriate, at least in my opinion and in the classes I teach, that we return to the old format that gives students more than one way to demonstrate what they know,” Basham said. “I think some students may have missed out last year on earning credit by not having the other parts of the test to help buoy their score.”

Students acknowledge the fact that their teachers are doing everything in their power to prepare them for the tests. Their hard work isn’t going unnoticed. 

“I feel like teachers are doing as much as they can with the things they have access to,” VanCleave said. “They can’t give us any paper assignments, so we’re doing lots of quizzes and tests online  to help us prepare.”