Students Face Issues with Online AP Exams

Kelly Fraenkel

Staff Writer

Section: News

 

Students Face Issues with Online AP Exams

 

With states across the nation issuing stay at home orders, the College Board administered annual Advanced Placement exams online from May 11 to May 22 and condensed them into 45-minute free-response questions.

 

With millions of students taking these online AP exams, many faced technological issues. Students reported not being able to submit their exams due to technical problems, and many had difficulties with the submission methods created by the College Board. 

 

“I have to retake my AP Calculus test because I uploaded my answers and the test portal wouldn’t let me submit them,” junior Alex Fliszar said.

 

The College Board reported that students took 2.186 million exams collectively during the first week of testing dates, with less than one percent of students unable to submit their exams. Thousands of exam takers, including many Costa students, faced issues with submitting their responses.

 

“I don’t think the shortened test is a very accurate measure of our knowledge on the subject,” Fliszar said. “It’s all about whether you know how to use the format of the test to your advantage.”

 

In response to problems with submitting tests, the College Board presented solutions to ensure students have the opportunity to earn college credit for their classes. During the second week of testing, students who were unable to submit their tests through the College Board website were able to email their responses immediately after their exam. Students also have the opportunity to take make-up exams from June 1 to June 5 if they were unable to submit their exams through the testing platform.

 

“[College Board] should have anticipated that some students would have problems and offered the email option sooner so that those with technical difficulties didn’t have to take the test again in June,” junior Kieran Malik said. 

 

A class-action lawsuit was filed against the College Board on behalf of students who had trouble submitting or were unable to submit their exams entirely. The lawsuit implores the College Board to score the students’ original responses rather than having students makeup tests in June and seeks $500 million in damages. The lawsuit charges the College Board with gross negligence, breaching the Americans With Disabilities Act, misrepresentation, and violation of the contract.

 

“I think that the College Board was right to make the test open book and free response, but I think they could have made the exams more comprehensive because I worked really hard in my classes all year, and I didn’t feel that the test reflected all that I learned,” Malik said. “I think that basing the entire score on the College Board’s free response rubrics instead of basic knowledge of the subject wasn’t a great assessment.”