Student Outlook -- Huong Thai

Last week, students lined up at their school’s student store to pay

for the Advanced Placement exams because in May all AP students will be

tested. For some students, however, money can be an issue. The price of

each test is $78, and this can be quite expensive for those who wish to

take the test but cannot pay for it. It is unfortunate that all students

cannot take the tests free of charge because this opportunity would

definitely increase the number of students taking the tests. It would

encourage more students to take the tests no matter what their financial

statuses are.

Some people are not willing to pay for their exams because it would be

a waste of money if they do not pass. Taking an AP exam takes a

tremendous amount of hard work, studying and preparation in order to do

well, and many students often feel overloaded with information. Thus,

some students may feel that they are not ready for the test and change

their minds about taking it.

If the test was free, the bulk of the risk would be reduced, and

perhaps more students will be encouraged to take the test and attempt to

pass it even though they feel unsure.

Other people, however, do not mind paying for the test because they

feel that it is worth it for the AP credits received. They have been

working hard for many months, and if they pass the AP exam they are

guaranteed college credit. The thrill of not having to retake the course

in college outweighs the amount of studying and also the cost. Also,

another perspective is that by paying the $78, the students feel

pressured and driven to study hard and do well because they paid to take

the test. Thus, some people prefer to take on the challenges of the test

and enjoy the benefits if they pass.

Unfortunately, the current situation is that every student must pay

$78 per test. This can be quite overwhelming when considering the fact

that for a student who takes four AP classes, his or her total would be

$312. Luckily, the only solution that is available for students is to

apply for fee reductions. If qualified, students would only have to pay

$56 per exam; this is not too bad because the reduction is about 30%.

Whether or not the fee for AP exams will change or even be removed is

uncertain, but what is certain is that they play important roles in the

college admissions process. Good luck to everyone who will take an AP

exam in May!

* HUONG THAI is a sophomore at Estancia High School, where she is the

editor of El Aguila’s opinion page. Her columns will appear occasionally

in the Community Forum section.