AP Exams Are Almost Here…
How Are We Feeling?
This past week I’ve been checking in with various students to get a feel for how Overlake’s AP students are coping with their impending test dates, and observed some interesting trends.
First, I touched base with a couple of friends in my grade — the sophomores. This group was feeling quite a bit of AP exam stress. When asked to rate how anxious they were feeling on a scale of 1 to 10, the answers ranged from a tentative 7 at the lowest, to a panicked 11 at most.
Tenth-grader Jenna Lacy (landing at a carefully calculated 9.7 on the exam anxiety scale) is taking her first AP test this year — an AP Statistics exam. When prompted about how prep for this test compares to other exams she’s taken, Jenna expressed that there is a little more stress for this test than for her final exams.
“ Your finals are mixed in with all the rest of your grades” she stated, while on the contrary the AP exam feels as though “you just get one shot.”
This sentiment was shared by nearly all her peers, concerned over having to remember such a great quantity of information for a test that feels as a stand-alone judgement of their success. There is no cushion of other grades to fall back on. Many sophomores also mentioned college, and how the fact that colleges will see their scores was adding another element of nervous tension.
Next, I stumbled upon a group of seniors. The answers they gave took a dive in the opposite direction.
“How anxious I’m feeling? I’d give it a 4.” Stated senior Roger Clemens, with approximately zero emotion and none of the nervous energy I’d seen in the eyes of the sophomores. His friends immediately laughed and nodded their agreement, explaining to me that they weren’t the right people to ask, as senioritis had already infiltrated their attitude toward anything academic.
Besides, by this point Roger has three previous AP exams under his belt. This year he’ll be taking two more: one for AP Microeconomics and another for AP Environmental Science. Opposing to the sophomore class, Roger expressed that final exams are more stressful than APs.
“Finals are more impactful, and there’s more of a chance to fail. It’s a bigger deal.”
When prompted to share the state of his mental health regarding the test, Roger had one word: “Superb.”
A calmer state of mind seemed to be the trend for the seniors I spoke to. But that isn’t to say they don’t also feel the pressure. Renée Austin is taking her first AP test this year, and is feeling a little more anxious. Other seniors I heard from also seconded these nerves.
The juniors hit somewhere in the middle. Stress was generally on the lower end —
“I’d say I’m at about a 4. My teachers are doing a good job preparing us and giving study materials.” -Gaurav Prasad, grade 11
The difference was that the juniors possessed a calm energy regarding their upcoming exams, whereas the seniors felt a bit more lackadaisical.
Gaurav also brought up college. He expressed that, “AP tests are more for me. They’re not really meant to help me get into college, but helpful once you’re there.”
One thing that all grades answered the same to was this: “are you eager to get the test(s) over with?” The answer was a unanimous YES.
Additionally, there was a general agreement on how far out the tests seemed. We’re still a couple weeks out, and most students agreed that that it felt close, yet not too close.
“It feels close, but not like it’s right over head.”
“It doesn’t consume my thoughts all the time, it’s just kind of always lingering.”
“There’s still some time.”
In summary, all have had these exams on their mind lately, but studying isn’t reaching a close quite yet. Students still feel a comfortable enough distance out from the test to still have some peace of mind, and teachers seem to be preparing them well. I’ll have to check in again to see how that changes as the exam date draws closer.
But it looks like testing nerves only get lighter as the years go on, so hang in there sophomores, don’t fret too much!
Good luck on all your AP exams, Overlake!
