This year students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses will be charged $54 for each AP test if they do not qualify for a fee waiver. For those who do qualify, the price will be $32. In past years, students who qualified for the fee waiver only had to pay $5, which was a combination of federal and state aid.

Though the amounts for the test this year may not seem incredibly significant, for junior Wang Xiong, who is taking four AP classes and plans on taking those four tests, the costs add up.

Although Xiong qualifies for a fee waiver, she will most likely rely on the support of her parents to meet the price requirement for each test. Junior Pa Her, who plans on taking at least one AP test, is in the same situation. With two months before the AP testing begins, the gradual process of saving and putting aside money, will be much harder.

For busy students like Xiong and Her who are involved in sports and do “not have time to work for money for the AP exam,” there are few options to raise the funds for the test. It has become the mission of two AP teachers, Stewart Jacoby, and Erica Dei Rossi, to help aid the students hoping to take the AP tests in the spring.

Jacoby is currently working on getting funds from the Alumni Association and is confident that they will be able to raise a few thousand dollars for the students’ use. Dei Rossi contacted Lynn Beck, dean of Benerd School of Education, to ask for donations. Beck agreed to donate a total of $1,250. With this funding combined, the price of each test will only be lowered by $25.

Dei Rossi is also working on getting other sponsors who could help with the fees. The job of funding the AP tests is frustrating because “we’ve had to find a different solution every year,” Jacoby said.

There are a total of five AP classes offered on campus. Approximately 70 students are enrolled in at least one AP class. The purpose of the AP classes is to not only help students prepare for college but help to prepare students for the AP test. “It’s already second semester. What’s the point of being in an AP class if you can’t afford the test?” senior Samantha Wang said.

However, although the cost may be high Dei Rossi has an alternate test available for students to take if they cannot afford to take the AP test. “I feel as though I can’t make it mandatory given the expense of the test… Therefore, I feel the need to offer an alternative. Students will gain a similar experience taking a sample test in the class the day of the exam,” Dei Rossi said.

Despite the intimidating fees the test can generate, Her says students should still take the class. “You don’t have to take the test,” she said. “You learn a lot from the AP classes. They prepare you for college.” She is thankful for the work being done to reduce the test fees. “That’s kind of the (teachers) to try to help the students,” Her said.
According to the College Board, students who are enrolled in AP courses are more likely to graduate from college in four years. The benefit of passing the AP exam is that some colleges will give the student college credit which could save the student thousands of dollars.

Taking AP courses and exams is an investment. Whatever the case may be, students who plan on taking the AP tests need to be aware that there will be significant costs involved. Head counselor Chan Sam says, “I recommend to start saving your money… plan ahead.”