Even though school has only just begun, one topic that seems to be constant amongst teachers and students alike is AP exam testing, despite it being in May. Every year, students are filled with anxiety, whether through taking and studying note. While intense, getting that grade back in July can yield many rewards.

Those who have taken an AP exam know the drill: a number two pencil and ballpoint pen are the permitted materials for writing. However, this year, we’ll use keyboards instead. According to the College Board, 28 exams are becoming either partially or fully digital for the upcoming 2025 tests. These exams will be administered on the Bluebook platform, which is also used for the now digital PSAT and SAT. 

Fully digital AP exams include AP English Language and Composition, AP European History, AP Computer Science Principles, and 13 others. Its full online format means that all multiple choice and free responses will be located and answered on your device. In contrast, the partially digital exams have a different format. The multiple choice will be located and answered on your device, while the free response will be on the device but answered in a physical booklet, just like old times. Some examples of partially digital exams are AP Biology, AP Macroeconomics, AP Statistics, and 12 other exams. In respect to what devices are permitted or not, the College Board states, “Exams can be taken on Mac and Windows devices, iPads, and school-managed Chromebooks.”

Due to this major change in test taking style, the Buccaneer asked for the opinions of fellow students. Unfortunately, many of these opinions were negative. Meaghan Daly, a junior who is taking a whopping four AP exams this year said, “I think it’s going to be harder to focus on the tests.” Another student, Vivian Hannula, a fellow junior taking four exams as well, corroborates Meaghan’s statement: “It’s going to be harder because I need to annotate my questions to understand it better, which you can’t do on the computers.” However, it is quite early into the school year with much room for opinions to change. 

In summary, going digital with AP exams brings both benefits and challenges. It makes testing more accessible and efficient but also requires addressing tech access and security concerns. Balancing these factors is key to maintaining the exams’ overall structure and effectiveness as students bridge into college level subjects.