College Board Offers Online AP Courses and Exams During Coronavirus

(NewsUSA) - In the wake of unprecedented school closures resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, the College Board is supporting students and schools with free, live review sessions and online exams taken at home.

In a survey of 18,000 students enrolled in AP classes, 91 percent indicated they want to complete their classes and take their exams.

"We want to give every student the chance to earn the college credit they've worked hard toward throughout the year," says Trevor Packer, senior vice president of AP and Instruction at the College Board. "That's why we quickly set up a process that's simple, secure, and accessible."

This year only, the traditional in-person exams will be replaced by shorter online versions that will take approximately 45 minutes, accessed at home on a computer or a mobile device. Students also have the option to handwrite exams and submit photos of their work. Exams are scheduled for May 11-22, 2020, with makeup dates in June.

Exams will include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March. Most exams will have one or two free-response questions, and each question will be timed separately. Certain courses will use portfolio submissions instead of an online exam, and exams for world language courses will consist of spoken tasks instead of written responses.

As usual, 2020 AP Exams will be scored by college faculty and AP readers, and scores will be reported on a 1-5 scale. The College Board plans to release scores as close to the usual July time frame as possible. And colleges nationwide have committed to awarding credit for this year's AP scores just as they have in the past.

Students registered to test don't have to take any additional action; they'll be emailed an e-ticket two days before each exam. The ticket will also be available in their My AP account.

Students can get ready for exams by attending free online classes and review sessions led by AP teachers from across the country. And, during the final days before exams, classes will focus on simulating the exam experience and reviewing sample exam questions. The classes are available live or on demand at youtube.com/advancedplacement. The live lessons include an AP Master Class series, with AP teachers joined by luminaries such as Janet Yellen, Tony Hale, John Quiñones, and Valerie Jarrett.

Details about specific AP Exams, fees, cancellations, and other topics will be updated regularly on the College Board website and shared through email, online educators' communities, and other social media.

For the latest information, visit the College Board coronavirus website at cb.org/coronavirusAPstudents.