As May is on its feet, students are super busy trying to catch up on schoolwork along with studying for final exams. On top of that, AP exams are right around the corner, and many students are also feeling the stress of their upcoming mock exams. The pressure of performing well on both of the mocks is the real deal. 

Unlike actual AP tests, which are either taken at 8 a.m. or at 12 p.m., mocks take place immediately after school. I think that taking these exams first thing in the morning is the perfect time because students are more energized and prepared to take the exam with a clear mind. Taking a mock exam after a long school day can be difficult, and it can be tough to get into the right mindset required to take a three-hour test. Last week, while taking my AP Lang and APUSH exams, I found myself feeling exhausted and struggling to focus as I had to take multiple other tests throughout the school day. While the exam may be considered a practice, for many students, the scores can hold significant weight as most mock exams count towards a final grade or a large portion of their overall grade.

Although preparing for AP tests is important for many students, they also have to balance multiple things all at once. Personally, I have had to make sacrifices, such as skipping track practice and other extracurricular activities to allocate enough time for my AP tests. Students also have many responsibilities outside of school, such as work and family obligations which makes it difficult to dedicate so much extra time after school. Furthermore, athletes who have meets and games also on the day of the mock aren’t given alternative testing dates to make up the exam. 

Given the numerous scheduling conflicts, mock exams should take place during class time instead. There are many AP classes that have the exam split up into multiple different parts so that students could take it over the span of a few days in class. However, this does not accurately reflect the experience of taking the actual AP exam because they are not required to take the entire test in one sitting. To better prepare students, all mock exams should be given during school hours, with students excused from some classes to take the exams. 

Students throughout all grade levels have been abnormally stressed and studying for the past month just for these tests, and it feels like a waste of time and effort if students are not given a fair chance to perform at their best. Moving mock exams to class time would allow students to better prepare and perform, ultimately leading to more successful outcomes.