The days of “pencils down. Time is up” is quickly fading as the College Board plans to move even more exams to a digital format this year.
As each exam season rolls around, the argument of whether or not our exams should become digital is present. For the 2025 AP season, what are our AP tests going to look like?
According to the College Board, 16 tests are going fully digital, including AP Psychology, AP Language, AP Government, AP United States History, etc. Also,12 of the exams are going hybrid with both digital sections for the multiple-choice and physical sections for long-form writing like AP Statistics, AP Microeconomics, and AP Chemistry. Also, there are, still going to be completely physical sections, mostly for the language exams.
“The test is going to look very similar to the Pre-SAT that is offered here at the school,” Assistant Principal and AP Coordinator Andy Pinkall said.
The Pre-SAT is an already digital exam that utilizes the BlueBook app and has a lock down browser. The exams include the BlueBook and a lock down browser to prevent cheating. Other variables within the testing environment will stay the same including exams being taken in the library and lecture hall including the same length and type of breaks, according to Andrew Pinkall.
Across the various debates of whether or not our exams should be digital, public opinion differs within our teacher and student body.
“I think some personal drawbacks towards the new testing are some test-taking skills like circling your answers, crossing things out, and highlighting things,” AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics teacher Kristin Blessing said. Ms. Blessing, our AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics teacher and advocate for paper exams, believes that the test-taking skills students use to capitalize on their skills may be in jeopardy. Public opinion within the school also doesn’t like the fact that it is going to be harder for students to take the tests.
Pinkall said he believes that there is a probability that we could get our exam scores back sooner and Brett Keim, our AP Statistics teacher, likes some of the benefits that come with the new testing. He says, I think that it will allow students to get their grades back quicker which I think will be a big draw for students who may be taking it. I think that will be really nice. It will also get them used to taking tests online which they might have to do in college. Plus, they are used to working in a digital age and it’s only getting more digital as we go on for jobs and everything.”
Senior Kolby Cameron, an experienced AP exam taker, said he enjoys the convenience that comes with the new tests, but the new mediums may be a little confusing. Ultimately, there will likely be some security concerns and growing pains for everyone, but it’ll be worth it because of how much quicker and more convenient the new process will be,” Kolby Cameron said.
The digital age has arrived and impacting our school testing.
