Every May, students gear up for AP exams, hoping to earn college credit for the rigorous courses they endure each year. With an average exam fee of $93, AP exams take out a significant portion of a student’s budget. Nevertheless, if students receive a score of three or higher, they will likely save themselves hundreds of dollars by receiving college credit for the class or discipline.

Juniors and seniors often take up to six AP exams, while sophomores take three on average. NC students taking an exam this May prepare early by constructing study plans and schedules as they sign up for their exams. However, seniors should consider the importance in which exam they take and if the college they wish to attend will accept it.

“I prepare about a month in advance, so I get review books and I go through each unit and set up a schedule,” senior Kesha Perkins said, who will take three exams in May.

As a freshman, the AP concept itself can be intimidating, and the process of preparing for one’s first exam carries the potential of including nerves and a totally new environment. However, most students find they fit right in.

“[The AP Exam] was pretty much what I expected last year, so I am taking the AP World History, AP Computer Science, and the AP Stats exams this year. I will probably start preparing around Spring Break,” sophomore Spencer Paige said.

NC students obtain access to multiple resources when preparing for their exams, including their own teachers. Usually towards the end of March, AP teachers begin offering review sessions after school during the weekdays leading up to the exam. In these sessions, students can ask questions or listen for a refresher regarding the information.

“Don’t wait until the last minute, because if you wait until the night or two before your AP Exam, it is not going to make that much of a difference,” AP U.S. History teacher Tamara Rankenburg said. “A review book is a good resource if you are just trying to do an overview of the information so you can go back and get the gist of the main points, most important information, and take advantage of the practice questions. And if your teacher gives you any notes or anything you should go look back over them.”

NC students will begin to wrap up a year of hard work on May 2, the first day of exams.