Students Share Their Frame of Mind as AP Exam Season Draws Closer

By Gavin McNeal

April 10, 2025

As the month of May approaches students at Colonie Central High School start to think about sitting down in the MUG for long and grueling Advanced Placement tests. 

Each student has their own reason for choosing to take this difficult route of AP classes. 

Junior Nick Kohli says his reasoning comes from the “sense of fulfillment when I do something difficult.” 

He goes on to explain that his current classes of AP English Language and Composition in addition to AP United States History give him the opportunity to push himself to the next level academically.   

Taking a high level class such as an AP would seem difficult to most; however, with experience of taking this renowned test comes with rewards.

Junior Moeez Ahmed believes that since he took an AP test last year, he is now better prepared because he knows what to expect and knows how to get ready for that. 

Even with these rewards of knowing what to expect, there is still the need to do well since colleges will be looking at what each prospective student earns. 

 “I think there is a lot of pressure because it's out of five points and there could be a huge difference between a four or a three. That could make a big difference in how colleges view you,” Kohli stated. 

This compulsion might be there for Juniors and Sophomores that still have the rest of their high school career ahead of them. However for seniors, with college decision day before the AP exams commence, that demand isn't the same. 

Senior Mike Backstrom believes that, “there is less pressure because you don't have to worry about how your score might affect where you’re going to college.” 

He explains that knowing what score your future school accepts can take off the constraint for some people. If they know their school accepts a three or a four, they don’t have to worry about not earning a five. 

This need to do well and stress does have the potential to be soothed. Studying weeks in advance, as suggested by Backstrom, has the ability to calm down nerves. 

“I like to make my own study guides and stay after school with teachers,” Ahmed adds. 

This in turn is a possible way for some people to get themselves ready for these exams. The ways to study are limitless as doing past tests themselves might help students. 

“I've been doing prep work, multiple choice, free response questions for AP U.S. and AP Lang,” Kohli states. 

There’s a new addition to all AP tests this year, that comes in the form of some tests going fully online by use of the bluebook app while some are hybrid and others are still on paper. This new feature is going to change the way AP exams are run. 

Since the start of the school year students in Advance Placement (AP) classes have been preparing for their moment to take the test they signed up for when deciding to take their AP class. 

At Colonie twelve AP level courses are offered, ranging across five different subjects. Each course offers a unique challenge that students have to face. Whether it’s writing a rhetorical analysis essay on the AP Lang exam or solving a complex math problem on AP Calc BC, every student is tested.